Disclaimer: The idea for this fanfiction, and all characters in it, so far, belong to me. This includes, but is not limited to; Sequana, Kismet, their father, and all hospital staff in this chapter. I do not own the matrix or any of its concepts, much as I would like to.
Tick... tock... tick...
The second hand crept around the clock agonisingly slowly; it's ticking loud in the silence of the waiting room. The room, walls painted a uniform white, was still and seemed to be living up to its name - every particle of every object seemed to be waiting, straining to hear news from the door. To anyone else, it was just a door - painted white to match the walls, a round brass handle, and a sign that read 'Delivery Room' but just a door. But to the man who paced along the waiting room's floor, it was that which held all his attention, that which held the secrets of his family from him, a door capable of a capital D - to him, it was a matter of life and death.
Tick... click...tick... click... tick...
His footsteps sounded with the rhythmic beats of the clock as he paced, wheeling around at each wall. As he paused, turning on his heel, anxious grey eyes flitted to the Door. Every time, though, it was the same, it had never opened, nor was there any sound leaking from the soundproofed room beyond. More disappointingly, for him, there was never anyone standing there, waiting for him to stand still so that he could be given news. The expectant father stopped his pacing and sighed as he dwelt on that thought. That was right, he mused. All he wanted was news - be it good or bad, news was all he wanted. Certainty he could live with - certainty was never frightening. Uncertainty never was. Running his hand through his thinning brown hair, he gazed at the door.
In his confused state of fear, it took his mind a second or two to adjust when the door slid open. An obstetrician stood there, a grim smile over his pale face. In his arms, he held two ruffled blankets that lay, unmoving in his grip. The father, after staring blankly at the man for a second, hurried forwards. "What is it? How are they? Marie - the baby?" His questions were panicked and rushed, the words tripping over themselves.
The obstetrician laid a comforting hand on the man's arm, shifting on of the bundles to his other arm. "I'm afraid I have some good news and bad news, Mr Adams." He stepped back to allow the man a clear view into the room beyond. It was just as white and sterilized as the waiting room, with little breaking the monotony of the walls. His gaze dropped quickly to the bed, where an unmoving figure lay, surrounded by nurses. "Marie-!" his voice broke.
"I'm sorry," the obstetrician said gently. "But your wife died in childbirth - there was nothing we could do for her." He lifted his hand from the distraught father's hand to pull back the blankets. "You do, however, have two beautiful, healthy daughters." Lying in a nest of blankets in his arms, were two newborn girls, one awake and staring upwards with jade-green eyes, the other sleeping silently. Their father reached out a finger, huge against the tiny cheeks. They were so perfect, tiny visions of the children they would become. He swallowed, not trusting himself to speak for a moment.
Marie had gone... the babies were motherless; he was wifeless. He fought back the tears that threatened to spill over, reaching out to take his children from the obstetrician. He knew there were two choices left to him now; he could break down, go into hiding within his mind and allow the children to be adopted - or he could raise them. As the sleeping twin squirmed in his arms, opening her eyes, he knew what he had to do. They had lost their mother - they couldn't lose their father too.
No... he would raise them himself, and ensure that they had a happy upbringing. He owed them that.
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Outside the trap of the matrix, a pod stood among many others, filled with pink goo. A small, twisting form was inside it, thrashing as though something was attempting to break free. A large machine swept up to the pod, tentacles ready to enslave the new life. As it reach inside the goo, searching for the infant, in stopped in consternation, withdrawing its tentacles. Inside the pod, lying close together, was not one, but two tiny forms - twins gone wrong.
A/N: The twins are Kismet and Sequana, and both will feature in this fic, although I haven't yet decided how much Kismet will be in it. Hope you enjoyed this - please R&R!