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Falling naked onto a California freeway had been a life-changing experience for Sarah Connor in more ways than one.
She still didn't know how to explain the endless, impossible second when their leap through time had seemed to pause, interrupted by the voice of a young woman asking if she wanted to be strong. Not even to herself-- and certainly not John, Derek or Cameron. There were some things John just didn't need to know while he was still hers to protect, and if his older self hadn't trusted the others with his father's name, she wasn't going to trust them with her new abilities, either.
For of course she'd answered yes. That had been the whole focus of her existence, ever since she'd met Kyle Reese: she gathered strength from every available source and funneled it all into the protection and education of their son.
John Connor: humanity's savior-- provided he survived the metal and the monsters long enough to grow up. The strength, enhanced reflexes, increased healing and heightened senses-- they simply made it easier for her to ensure that happened.
The vampires in her nightmares could wait. She had more important things to take care of first.