author's note: Glad you all liked the Serenity reference. :) There's one in this chapter too.

Hinotima24 - Yeah, actually this one is short, only two chapters. But I do have another John/Cameron comedy with them doing more "normal" things. That one's nine chapters and I'll post it next.

CrimsonAcid - Yes, I meant to quote River. :) That would be a pretty weird coincidence.

Pjazz - Thanks! And I agree: I do like some Future War stories, but I'm a big fan of the Connors dealing with real life, which is why I really your "Secret Diary" story showing Cameron in school. I miss the school scenes in the show.

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Chapter Two:

Watch How I Soar

As they headed towards the next roller coaster, John passed by Chick'Fil'a and his stomach growled loudly, reminding him that he hadn't eaten all day.

Cameron paused by the mini poster that read "eat more chikin", head turned slightly as she examined it.

"This poster has an error," she stated. "'Chicken' is spelled incorrectly."

How do I explain this? "It's supposed to be spelled wrong," John began. "It's supposed to be written by cows."

"Cows can't write," Cameron said reasonably. "They do not have opposable thumbs or even fingers. It is impossible."

John sighed. "I know. It's just…you know how you said people like small animals? Well, they also like talking animals…and writing animals. We just like animals, remember?"

Cameron stared at him for a moment, then back to the poster. "It's no wonder Skynet tries to destroy you. At least computers don't believe animals are human."

John chuckled. "Hey, I don't believe animals can talk. Maybe that's why I become the leader. Now, do you want something to eat or not?"

"I don't need to eat," Cameron said.

"But do you want to?" John prodded. Cameron looked over at the menu and John spotted the prices, wincing. "How about I just get you an ice cream cone?"

Cameron agreed with that and John ordered himself a meal. He handed Cameron the ice cream cone and they sat down at a picnic table.

Cameron was eating the ice cream from the top and it was melting, dripping onto her fingers. "This food is problematic," she stated.

"You have to eat it before it melts," John said patiently. "Lick around the edge first."

Cameron did as she was told, though it resulted in somewhat of a mess. John rolled his eyes and reached out with his thumb to wipe off a big blob in the corner of her mouth. She allowed herself a smile and John felt the color rise in his cheeks.

What is wrong with me? He demanded of himself.

Cameron didn't notice his discomfort. She had glanced over across the pathway to the arcade. John followed her gaze.

"You wanna go check it out?" he asked. He checked his watch. They could hang out in there for a while before hitting another coaster, giving John's food time to settle. He really didn't feel like blowing chunks on the next ride, especially in front of Cameron.

When they entered the arcade, Cameron seemed drawn to the large row of skeeball machines lined up against the wall. John paused at the token machine and put in a few dollars, then followed Cameron over.

"What is Skeeball?" Cameron asked, reading the name on the machine.

"Here," John said, inserting a couple tokens. "I'll show you." Cameron watched with interest as the six balls rolled down into the bin. John grabbed one and rolled it up the ramp, watching as it landed in the 60 hole.

"The object is to get it into the 100 hole," he explained. He handed a ball to Cameron. "Just roll it hard."

Cameron drew back and hurled the ball into the field so hard that it hit the edge of the 100 hole, bounced up and smashed into the glass, shattering it. Everyone in the arcade turned toward the sound, and John quickly ushered Cameron out of the arcade.

"Why'd you do that?" he demanded.

"You said 'roll it hard'," she reminded him.

John rubbed his fingers to his temples. It's like I'm babysitting a five year old…

"Let's find the indoor roller coaster," Cameron suggested.

When they finally entered the line for Flight of Fear, John glanced around at the room. It had been made to look like some type of UFO, with eerie green lights and aliens hovering in test tubes.

When he and Cameron took their seats in the front of the coaster, the lights went off and John twitched in anticipation. A young kid sitting in the seat behind him started crying about how dark it was. Cameron touched John's arm to get his attention.

"It's not that dark," she pointed out.

John sighed. "Yeah, but no one else has night vision like you do."

"Oh." She leaned back against her seat. "Right."

The coaster suddenly blasted forward into a completely pitch black room. He heard the kid behind him screaming like his head had been chopped off.

When the ride came to a stop, John was beginning to wish he'd waited longer before riding after his meal. "I think I'm done with roller coasters for the day," he said to Cameron. "Maybe we can find something else."

They exited the coaster and stopped in the photo booth. John spotted their picture on the wall and laughed. He had his arms in the air, mouth wide open screaming, while Cameron sat beside him, hands comfortably placed on the lap bar, staring at him like he was a complete moron.

Cameron came up behind him and spotted the picture. He saw her confusion and realized she was perplexed by the "aliens" that had replaced the two riders in the seat behind them. "The humans behind us must have been liquid metal Terminators. No one else can morph in such a way." She gripped his arm, scanning the crowd for the two riders. "We're in danger. We have to go. Now."

John tried in vain to break her death grip. "Cameron, they aren't metal. The computer just replaces their picture with pictures of aliens."

Cameron stopped pulling and cocked her head in what seemed to resemble confusion. "Why?"

"Because," John said, shrugging. "It makes it more…dramatic. Keeps it with the theme. You know, Flight of Fear. The whole UFO display. The aliens in the room."

"Those weren't aliens," Cameron stated. "Those were plastic covered..."

John cut her off. "The point is…those weren't real aliens, and…" he gestured to the picture. "…these weren't real aliens."

Cameron stared at the picture again. "Thank you for explaining," she said. John smiled and looked at her expression in the photo once more.

He bought one.

********

Since John had decided he was done with roller coasters for the day, he and Cameron had decided on the Skyflyer. Two people were hooked up to a cable, pulled up into the air and released like a swinging pendulum.

"I've never actually ridden one before, but it's supposed to make you feel like Superman," John told her. He went up and purchased two tickets.

"Is there a weight limit?" he asked. The lady looked from John to Cameron.

"I don't think you'll have a problem," she said, smiling.

"You'd think," John muttered. He took the tickets and he and Cameron were ushered into the line where they were fitted with the harness suits. Then they were brought around to the back where they waited behind a pair of teenagers. One of them turned to look at Cameron.

"Hope you aren't afraid of heights," he said with a grin.

Cameron shook her head. "No."

The guy looked at his girlfriend. "This is her first time. She's nervous." The girl forced a smile.

"Have you been on this before?" John asked.

"About five times," the guy bragged. "The best part is when you're just hanging there, looking down, knowing that you're going to fall at any minute…" His girlfriend yelped.

"Next group, come on up," an employee called. The guy grinned at John.

"Good luck, buddy," he said.

Cameron watched as the two were raised up on a platform to be strapped into the cables. "I believe it was his intention to scare me," she said.

John cracked a smile. "Does anything scare you?"

"Yes," she replied evenly.

John's grin faded. "Like what?"

"I get scared when you are in danger," she replied. "I was scared when you reactivated me and I feared I would not be able to override my programming. I was scared when you went off alone to the military school."

"I wasn't alone," John protested. "I was with Derek."

Cameron simply stared at him before repeating, "I was scared when you went off alone to the military school…"

John smirked. That was the first time Cameron had ever actually insulted his uncle. "So you're mostly just scared that something will happen to me."

"Yes."

"You're not scared that something will happen to you?"

"A little," Cameron admitted. "I was scared when you had me trapped between the two trucks and you deactivated me. I was scared that you would not believe the truth of what I was saying."

"Truth?" John repeated, swallowing hard.

"Yes," Cameron replied. "When I said---."

"Next riders!" the employee called. John felt a flash of disappointment that Cameron had been cut off, though he had a pretty good idea of what she was about to say.

He stepped up onto the platform next to her and they put their feet on the bars.

"Alright," the attendant said. "I want you two to interlock your arms." Cameron obediently thrust her arm through his and John felt a little lightheaded at the closeness. The floor dropped, leaving them dangling horizontally.

"When you get to the top, pull the cord to drop," the attendant said. "Keep your arms locked until you make one pass."

"Here we go," John whispered. The attendant stepped down and John felt himself being pulled up into the air.

"The sun is starting to set," Cameron said, looking out across the sky. John smiled. Just making conversation…

He began to feel the familiar anxiety that usually came before the drop, but somehow he knew it was from more than the ride.

Their arms were still interlocked. Cameron yanked the cord and they dropped, swinging forward. John's breath caught, the wind whipping at his hair, and he felt the sensation of flying.

Beside him, Cameron was grinning as well, probably just because he told her to show more emotion…but still…

When they were pulled back onto the platform, their arms were still interlocked. Cameron had never released her hold on him…and neither had he wanted her to. They were unhooked and stripped off their suits.

While they were walking out the exit ramp, Cameron smiled at John. "That was fun."

John was a little surprised at the admission, but he matched her smile. "Yeah, I guess it was."

******

John leaned over the railing at the top of the mini Eiffel Tower that stood directly in the center of the park. The sun was setting and the lights were coming on. His mother had called and said they would still be an hour. She and Derek were finishing their reconnaissance and were going out to eat. He was almost certain Derek had been the one to suggest it. Probably getting tired of eating all those pancakes…

Cameron leaned on the railing beside him, arm brushed up against his. John looked over at her, seeing her smiling slightly. It took him by surprise.

"Did you have fun?" he asked.

"Yes," Cameron replied. "It was much more fun than foosball."

He raised an eyebrow, but decided to take that as a compliment. Cameron suddenly turned to him and said, "Thank you for bringing me to King's Island."

Before John could reply, she leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. John felt like his heart had stopped and he swallowed hard.

"Why'd you do that?" he asked.

"I don't know," Cameron replied, looking back over the railing. "Just seemed like something I should do."

She smiled at him again, and John felt a grin of his own slowly spread across his face.

*******

John was lying comfortably on the small motel bed, fingering the small picture of him and Cameron in Flight of Fear. As soon as they'd arrived back at the hotel, Cameron had resumed her silent vigil at the door. About half an hour after their return, the door creaked open and Sarah and Derek entered, carrying leftovers from some Chinese place.

Sarah set down the food and looked over at John. "How was your day?" she asked.

"I threw a guy into the trash can," Cameron said immediately.

Sarah appeared startled. "Why?"

"He was a threat," Cameron said simply.

Sarah seemed confused, but glanced at John. "John? I was actually talking to you. How was your day?"

How was my day? He couldn't begin to describe his day. He'd been assaulted, nearly thrown out of the park, embarrassed, irritated, excited…elated. He briefly touched his cheek where Cameron had kissed him, heart still fluttering with the sensation. He couldn't speak of any of this. This day was between him and Cameron only.

He looked back up at his mother, who was staring at him expectantly.

"Oh," he said, shrugging, eyes returning to the small photograph. "Nothing to report."

finis

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Now if only we could see a little Jameron in tonight's episode, I would be ecstatic. Happy Friday Night, everybody!