Disclaimer AND Warning: I do not own T:SCC; Joseph and Project Vader I made up, though. And, this is the sequel to the Law of Consistency. So if you sue me for either, I'll give you a penny for your pointless effort.

Confrontation of Enemies

Chapter One

Day Before the Letter

Analyzing environment……….environmental threat level: minimal; John Connor is in safe environment………processing Derek's actions………comparing to previous history; Derek Reese is 'sulking' over behavior; Recommended course of action: ignore. Derek's actions are not dangerous and do not constitute a threat or response………processing Joseph's behavior………Joseph is asleep but will awake at threat; does not constitute action………analyzing Sarah's expression………Sarah is angry; John Connor is not target; I am. Recommended course of action: Wait and anticipate. Sarah endangers me, not John. Total threat level to John: Minimal. Recommended course of action: continue relaxing John's shoulders; it relieves stress.

So it was with watchful eyes that Cameron continued to massage John's shoulders. John, in his current state of mind, was completely ignorant of the brooding looks his mother and uncle gave them. He was happy as Cameron's hands rubbed up and down on his shoulders. It was one of the few things she could do in front of Sarah and Derek to relax him. And since the sun was setting, they couldn't exactly go anywhere.

So Sarah continued cleaning the handgun in her possession, watching Cameron intently. Derek had a magazine in his hands but hadn't even opened it; he wasn't bothering to pretend to be busy. Joseph was the only one, other than stress-free John, not watching somebody. He was stretched across the floor, fast asleep with his face buried into his arm. Occasionally he rolled over.

Joseph scared John; that much was obvious to her. She didn't quite understand why he was. She had asked him once, and he had talked about humanity or something to that effect. It had been confusing because she apparently displayed vestiges of humanity. So why had it been strange for Joseph then? John had said something about it being scary to watch someone lose theirs. Confused by his talk of the humanity phenomenon, Cameron had stored it for later and answered, "Thank you for explaining."

Two of her processes were trying to divulge an explanation at the moment. From what her sensors could tell, Joseph was human; he had a heartbeat, his breathing wasn't faked, and he was in every way human save for the genetic enhancements. So was that the reason? He wasn't a normal human? Cameron wasn't human at all, though. Perhaps that was why she had only vestiges of humanity. She stored the idea for now and looked for other solutions. Something that had been so complicated for John to explain wouldn't have so easy an answer.

To be honest with her processes, Cameron still didn't understand the entire point of flipping somebody off, other than it angered them or insulted them. She used that aspect of it to Derek as a common response. It worked every time.

"Are you ready for tomorrow?" Derek asked, remembering there was a magazine in his hands. He opened it while waiting for John's response. John's eyes opened and he looked worried again; the letter had been gnawing at his mind constantly. Why did it have to be dated for a week? It had been one of the longest weeks of John's life. He firmly promised to send it back with an earlier date if he could help it. He would have read it by now if not for Joseph; the last surviving subject of Project Vader had been insistent on John waiting, saying John had wanted John to wait. That, and Joseph standing menacingly between him and the letter, had been enough to make him wait.

However, slender hands soon eased the worry out of him, and John closed his eyes again. He had Cameron with him; how bad could it be? And this is the first time he had contacted himself; there had to be a reason for it. Maybe this was from the end of the war. No, John didn't believe that, as much as he wished it was. Joseph had already said the war was still going on. Otherwise, Joseph decided, there wouldn't be a need for a second generation test of Project Vader.

John turned his head to look at the sleeping fighter. The nineteen year old was mankind's greatest weapon against machines, but he was barely human himself. How was that fair? Come to think of it, Cameron and the other machines weren't fair either, fighting for something that wasn't theirs. Humans, it appeared, would always need something else to fight for them. John didn't feel much better when he noticed Skynet was like that as well. It was one more similarity to Skynet than John wanted.

Perhaps Cameron had noticed the upset look on his face, because she continued massaging his shoulders with renewed vigor. And once more John was plunged into happiness. It occurred to him that this was some of the most physical contact they had, other than when they kissed. He began to wonder about Cameron and how she might look in pale moonlight, her lovely features illuminated…

Control yourself, John. You're supposed to be the savior of mankind, and the savior of mankind can't be having fantasies about his Terminator guardian, no matter how much you love each other. On the other hand, I am a sixteen year old boy. Wait, that's no excuse; I have to keep my focus. But I do need to stay relaxed…but my mother's in the room. I can kiss Cameron when she goes to bed. And when Derek's gone. And when Joseph is miraculously deep enough asleep to not wake up. And if there's not a Terminator. I hate life.

Just then Joseph stood up and stretched as though he had never been asleep. "Is it time to eat?" he asked. The other four were reminded of their first dinner with him. When they had told him it was time for dinner, he had left and come back with a dead deer, the head hanging by few nerves. It had taken a while to get the blood out of the flooring. Later, when John had Cameron ask him why he had done that, Joseph had said, "Oh, I forgot; Mother had told me there was food during this time."

So now Sarah answered carefully, "There are leftovers in the fridge. Use the microwave." Joseph stalked towards the kitchen. John made note of that word. Stalked. Joseph didn't walk unless he was straining all thought to do so. He stalked instead, like a predatory animal. And he slithered instead of running, keeping low. Only when he sprinted did he run like a person. And that was loosely. So John watched Joseph stalk towards the kitchen. Thinking of the fridge made him hungry as well. He looked up at Cameron, who was coming to recognize his facial expressions.

She stopped and helped him up, Sarah's eyes boring into their backs. She had never given consent or even mercy for how much her son had fallen in love with a machine. Maybe that was why she had been hesitant to leave them alone. However, John's heart soared when his mother, through gritted teeth, answered, "Derek and I are going to pursue a lead tonight. You are staying home, no phone, no leaving, and no inviting people over. Joseph should keep you two out of trouble."

Evidently since Cameron loved him, she was now a source of trouble as well. Joseph looked at Cameron confused as he looked over the fridge door, not quite sure why Cameron couldn't keep him out of trouble, or what trouble she could get into. Cameron shook her head. Now was not the best time for explanation. Besides, she was certain John could explain better.

John stuck his head in the fridge next to Joseph, who was staring at the food wondering what to eat. They both reached for the leftover pizza at the same time. John knew that fighting for it would end up drastically different than when he fought his uncle for the last few pieces, so they pulled the bag out and split it. John made it to the microwave first, though.

As he was waiting for his food to heat, Cameron sat across from him and poured him a glass of milk. Sarah and Derek walked out the door, handguns in holsters. Obviously this wasn't supposed to be a comfortable lead. When they were out the door, John grabbed his food out of the microwave and sat back down. He noticed Joseph pressed the exact same combination and speed as he had, as though he was memorizing what John had input. It can't be so bad in the future that people don't know how to work household appliances? I'll have to fix that, too.

"I wonder why Derek and Mom didn't take you with them," John muttered to Cameron.

"Your mother does not trust me with her unless you or Joseph is nearby," Cameron stated simply, watching John take a bite of pizza. Joseph made a low growl in his throat unconsciously, making them both glance. He was staring at the microwave intently, but if anyone insulted or threatened Cameron within hearing range, he made an unconscious growl. The growl always put John's hairs on end, reminding him of the lethality in the super soldier. That was the main reason they had agreed to have him stay home instead of enter school. Joseph might accidentally destroy the school. Plus, John didn't want to come up with a cover story.

Cameron reached across the table unexpectedly and wiped a piece of sauce off of the corner of his lip. Reflexively John wiped his mouth. Cameron watched his reaction interestedly. Instead of wiping the sauce off her finger, though, she pressed her finger to John's lips and fed it to him. John had no clue how to respond to that one.

"I am making sure you maximize your nutritional intake," Cameron stated. Her emotion simulator must have automated though, because she was smiling and her cheeks were flushed. John found himself wishing Joseph were not in the house. This is exactly the kind of 'trouble' Sarah had meant.

Screw it. He leaned across the table and kissed her. Cameron returned in kind, pulling his face towards her. Joseph, suddenly aware of something going on behind him, grabbed his pizza as soon as the microwave beeped. He faced a dilemma; Sarah had told him no food outside the kitchen (for fear of what he might leave laying around). But he also knew from the future that anyone would prefer to be alone when kissing, especially his mother and John. So he jammed it all in his mouth and left the kitchen with all speed, slithering back to the living room floor. John and Cameron hadn't noticed. They remained locked in their kiss, blissfully ignorant of what was going on around them.

*****

Outside the house, driving down the street, Sarah was grumbling. Derek turned the corner, gripping the wheel tighter with every second. He hated it when Sarah grumbled. Usually, it was about John and the search for Skynet. However, other topics often included himself, Cameron, the three dots, Kyle, and anything else that might be bothering her. Lately it had been about John and Cameron's relationship. However, Derek would rather that his companions talk out loud instead of mumble. He had seen too many soldiers go mad because they wouldn't share what they were thinking.

That was one of the main reasons the metals had been accepted by the Resistance. Metals were good at listening. They didn't repeat what people said, either. Even Derek had unloaded to a metal once. He hadn't told it his problems as much as he had shouted at it how much he hated it, but it had the same effect afterward. Derek had felt better, and the metal had continued its endless rounds.

So a minute later, Derek said, "Talk, Sarah."

"What?" Sarah asked.

"Talk," Derek ordered. "It's better for your sanity than mumbling."

Sarah gave him a tight-lipped smile. "I've already been to the institution."

"Doesn't matter; you need your sanity to stop Skynet."

"I hate it," Sarah said immediately, before Derek was even done speaking. "I hate how close my son is to a machine. A machine is what ruins the future. A machine is what forces my son to become a leader and what murders people in slaughter houses! A machine kills Kyle! And my son is courting a machine! Machines want us dead, and he is in love with one! She can't feel emotion! It's not possible!"

Sarah was silent, breathing deeply and rapidly. Derek was edged back a little. Sarah definitely had a lot to hate the machines for. He hadn't understood John's explanation of Cameron's auto-emotion thing or whatever he had said, but he had known one thing when John had been speaking. John had been telling the truth. And since there were few things John hadn't done to a Terminator with wires, he trusted him. He didn't like it either, but he trusted him. He didn't want to tell Sarah that a metal was in love with her son, either.

Instead, he listened to Sarah start ranting again about how her son and the Skynet hunt. They were nearly there by the time she stopped, laying back to rest. Derek turned to her. "So, now for angry sex?" he joked.

Sarah rolled her eyes, her anger vented. "Derek, you're a nice guy, but…"

"Oh please," Derek laughed. "You're not my type. Besides, my brother and I made a promise once never to date the girls each other dated."

"Really? What for?" Sarah asked, confused.

"After I beat him up for stealing my girl," Derek grinned. Both of them laughed. "Besides, you broke my nose."

"You shoved over a portable toilet with me inside."

"You knocked me out."

"You were being irrational." They both laughed again. Then they sobered up as Derek left the car, loading his handgun. Sarah loaded hers and followed him into the building. She had to admit as Derek kicked down the door, she felt calmer than before. As Derek checked the room, she took the time to notice a file folder. She wouldn't have noticed otherwise. Perhaps Derek knew what he was talking about.

Nah.