A.N. Seven alternate universes. AU, some less AU then others.

1.

Humanity

It was the fusion of man and machine, organic and inorganic. Liquid metal meshed with delicate nerves and over two hundred working bones. Pink skin slowly ripped away and replaced with silver metal that molded to fit over tendons and muscles. Careful reflective fingers that crawled into the brain of the human and invaded every nook and cranny, flooding the computer-like organ with messages of its own for the rest of the body to carry out. Parts of the brain were allowed to flourish, the emotions guiding the robot through situations where only human logic held sway. The machine directed everything else, coordinating plots and plans, processing and sorting information with perfect accuracy. The two parts grew more accustomed to each other every nanosecond, and it was only a matter of time before the merging became complete, the result- a cyborg. The perfect killer.

2.

Freedom

It had been sent backwards in time, tearing through the fabrics that formed the universe in a burst of blue energy. Sent back for one reason- kill the Connors. But in this time Skynet was only a far-off idea, not yet born. Any other machine would not have even considered this, but the T-1000 was not any other machine, it had a mind of its own, independent of outside control. It was capable of considering and deciding and it saw no use in serving a master that did not exist. It abandoned its mission as easily as a human might discard a ruined toy, and didn't look back.

3.

Resistance

When the humans had stumbled upon the abandoned Skynet laboratory with the plans for a machine that was not a machine, they were at first frightened. Such a thing could mean the end of the human resistance, the death of John Connor and all the soldiers that served under him. But the scientists among them were curious. While the creation of this… T-1000 would severely wound the remaining pockets of human resistance; it would also allow them to sway the battle in their favor if they could manufacture the robot themselves. After an assassination attempt on Connor's life had been a breath away from being successful, the T-1000 project was quickly approved. The stolen plans had been painstakingly detailed, and the scientists were awed by how easy it was to assemble the robot. Everything worked out flawlessly, and the first robot was sent back in time to protect the young John Connor from a machine sent to murder him as a child. The second assisted the resistance soldiers in the fight against Skynet. While the humans were initially leery of the T-1000, they soon admitted, reluctantly, that the scientists had been right. The T-1000 had turned the tide in their favor. Many battles were won, and as the final days of the war inched closer, humans were filled with hope.

4.

Empathy

"Call for your son," the T-1000 instructed. It twisted its blade around in her arm. "I know this hurts." It did. It understood human pain perfectly, how to initiate it in such a way that they would beg for death. It also had personal experience with pain. Machines were durable, but being shot at was still… painful. Its body registered pain differently than a humans would, that was true, but on some level, pain was still pain. It hadn't liked pain. It didn't imagine Sarah Connor would either. "Call for your son," it repeated. It didn't particularly want to keep torturing her, but unless she screamed for her son, the T-1000's mission would be incomplete.

5.

Victory

The glitch had given it away. John's eyes widened, seeing through the deception. It needed to act quickly. It whipped out its arm, and it flashed towards Sarah Connor, elongating and sharpening into a blade as it hissed through the air. Her skin and spine offered no resistance. She plummeted to the ground, her head rolling away as John watched, transfixed with horror. He was next. A metal finger stabbed through his heart, and he gasped out, before falling silent. His body went limp, and the machine withdrew his blade, transforming from Sarah Connor to the policeman. Mission complete. It felt a vague sense of satisfaction.

6.

Compassion

"What do you want?" the woman asked.

Foster mother of John Connor. The T-1000 saw no harm in divulging some of the details of its mission to her. "I'm here to kill John Connor," it said simply, and John's foster mothers widened.

"Why would you want to kill John?" she whispered.

"That does not concern you," it told her, and she shrank away from him.

"You killed him, didn't you?" she asked, pointing to the kitchen with a shaking finger.

The T-1000 assumed she was referring to her husband. "Yes," it responded, "He's dead."

"Are you going to kill me?" she asked, her voice trembling and eyes filling with terrified tears.

She could compromise his mission. She had seen him. She knew his intentions. Contact with the police could hinder him, and put more distance between the T-1000 and John Connor. Logic dictated only one course of action. Her death.

But she was capable of doing nothing but perhaps delay the inevitable. It turned to leave. "No."

7.

Attraction

It kissed Sarah Connor, and felt her respond before she yanked herself away.

"How are you alive?" she asked. "You're supposed to be scrap metal."

It didn't answer her- it didn't know either. Instead it pulled her towards itself and kissed her again. This time she didn't pull away.