this was a game of intellect. (y/n) did briefly wonder if she was doing this right, considering he's a robot. but, it was, in fact, a brief thought, as she had different things to focus on. things like the shapeshifting machine who matched her every skill.

she slipped under the t-1000's arm and attempted to kick him down. he simply turned around and looked at her like she was dumb. this wasn't going as hoped.

they fought with bladed hands for what seemed like forever, her cigarette being knocked from her lips. at times, the t-1000 looked at her with a cocked head, confused. as if her very being tripped up the machine.

she tore her eyes from the prying ones of the t-1000 to look at the elevator. john held is hand out to stop the doors from closing, despite sarah connor fussing for him to move his hand away.

looking back, she pushed the t-1000 off of her. surprisingly, the robot stumbled back against the wall, straightening just as she got into the elevator. a wild grin made its way across her face as she looked at john, who looked back at her, his face sickly pale.

her hands were hands again, as she didn't want to freak out sarah connor anymore than she had. she let out a breath and glanced at john's mom.

suddenly a blade shot through the crack in the doors and pried them open. sarah pulled john to the back of the elevator, and (y/n) took a defensive stance in front of the connors. the terminator pointed the gun in his face and blew it in half. the elevator doors closed once again.

"what the fuck is it? what the fuck is going on? what the fuck is she?" sarah frantically asked, pressing herself and john to the back of the elevator the most she could. (y/n) spared her a glance, convincing herself not to be offended.

a big thud was heard from the top of the elevator, and the familiar metal blades cut through the elevator's ceiling.

"get down." the terminator ordered, and once sarah and john were in the back right corner, she stood over them the best she could, blades drawn.

the terminator continued to shoot at the ceiling, knocking the things that covered the lights to the floor. sarah grabbed a gun from the terminator's waistband and began to shoot it at the ceiling alongside him.

the metal came down and hit sarah on her right shoulder blade. "mom!" john cried, tugging her to the floor with him.

"shit." (y/n) cussed, moving slightly to cover them better. she shot at the ceiling some more. the elevator finally opened and they all ran out into the parking garage.

a cop car was driving up to the door, and sarah yelled, "get out of the car!" she lifted her gun and shot a bullet at the windshield. "right now!"

the terminator walked forward and slammed the guy against a part of the wall. they all clambered into the car. the terminator took the wheel with sarah in passenger. john and (y/n) sat in the back.

"go!" john yelled upon seeing the t-1000 run out of the door, and the terminator pressed the pedal to the floor, in reverse.

sarah leaned out the window and shot at him. "i'm out," she said. the terminator now reached his gun out of the window and shot at him.

"here," (y/n) offered a clip to sarah, who reloaded her gun and shot with it a few more times.

after a few shots, the terminator reached the gun into the back and said, "reload." (y/n) and john fumbled with the gun to reload it.

"hang on," the terminator spoke as the shot out of the parking garage in reverse, eventually turning around and heading for the gate.

suddenly, something grabbed on to the back of the car, and when (y/n) and john turned around to see, the t-1000 was hanging on the back.

they slammed through the gate, dragging along the t-1000. "done," (y/n) announced, and handed the gun to the terminator.

the t-1000 busted the glass at the back of the car, causing sarah yell, "john," and pull him closer to the front.

"here, drive," the terminator told sarah. he climbed out the driver side window and shot the t-1000 twice, finally knocking him off the car.

the terminator got back in the car and john sat up again. (y/n) spared a glance out the back and then noticed a piece of the t-1000 still on the car. she pushed it off, and then sat back down.

"there's nobody behind us," john said, and sat facing forward next to (y/n).

"are you alright?" sarah asked john, and he nodded.

"can you even see anything?" john leaned forward and asked the terminator, who was driving without any lights on in the dark.

"i see everything."

"great." he said, leaning back in his seat again.

john turned to (y/n), who was sitting quietly, with a new cigarette in her mouth again. she's going to waste them all in one night. "you scared the shit out of me, y'know." john told her, trying to get her to talk to him.

she held her cigarette between two fingers, took it out, and blew out smoke. "sorry, johnny." she whispered. she placed the cig back between her lips, and even he could see it trembling.

he scooted closer to her and held her hand, glancing at his mom to see if she was watching. she wasn't. "you alright?" he lightly traced patterns on the back of her hand with his thumb.

she took the cigarette out of her mouth. "just a little shaken up, that's all. damn robot kept looking at me weird," she remarked, threading her fingers absentmindedly through his hair and then cupping his face. after a moment, she lowered her hand back into her lap.

she bit the inside of her cheek and then whispered, "your mom thinks i'm a freak, though."

he shook his head, and opened his mouth to say something, but was cut off by his mom. "john, come here." he leaned towards her and hugged her. she began to rapidly move her hands him, making sure he wasn't hurt.

"i told you i was okay."

"john, it was stupid of you to go there. damnit, you have to be smarter than that. you almost got yourself killed, holding the elevator open like that. what were you thinking?" she shook him a bit and continued, "you cannot risk yourself, even for me. not for her. you're too important, do you understand?" she shook her head and turned around.

"but.." his voice was quiet and shaky, "i had to get you out of that place. i'm sorry."

she turned to face him once again. "i don't need your help; i can take care of myself." she turned back to face the road.

(y/n) bit back a retort. she knew the way sarah spoke to john was bullshit. he went through all that to save her ass and she didn't even thank him. she huffed, and a teary eyed john turned towards her.

"what's wrong with your eyes?" the terminator asked, looking at john from the rear view mirror.

"nothin'" john said and leaned on (y/n).

"don't listen to her, johnny," (y/n) whispered, quiet enough so only he could hear, "you did what you thought was right."

"yeah," he breathed out, placing his hand on hers. "i love you, smokes."

she sighed in content and placed her cigarette back in her mouth. "yeah, i know."

~

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