Sorry if I'm a little 'rusty'. I haven't done much writing lately. I've had half this story written for a while and finally decided to finish it. Let me know what you think.
Warnings: Trinity/Cypher, Trinity/Neo, some Switch/Apoc. Trinity's a little out of character, but I don't care that much. M for a reason. You'll see…
Disclaimer: I do not own the Matrix
"Let me out! I want out!"
Trinity cringed at the memory of the words. 'What if he can't handle it? Maybe this is all too much?'
"I don't believe it. I don't…"
'If he doesn't believe any of this, how will he believe he's the One?'
"He'll come around," Switch said from behind her as if reading her friend's mind.
Trinity swiveled in her chair in the Core. Switch glanced toward the falling code of the matrix then looked back to Trinity. "Shift's over. Go get something to eat. You should take a shower while the water's still warm before sleeping."
Trinity nodded and got up from the chair, stretching as she walked out of the room. She turned quickly as Switch got comfortable in the chair she'd be in for at least another two hours.
"Wait a minute. As your second-in-command, aren't I supposed to be giving you orders?"
"Yeah, yeah," Switch muttered. "Shut up."
"Is that another order?" Trinity teased.
Switch smiled and said, "Yes, as a matter of fact it is."
"That's what I thought," Trinity replied. Switch laughed loudly and Trinity grinned as she left the Core. It was rare when Trinity let down her cold façade, even to those she was close to. There was no doubt they treasured these moments. Trinity knew her unique personality could make Neo fall in love with her yet for some reason she willed every part of her body to convince her it was a lie.
As she walked into the mass hall, she blinked twice at the one person she dreaded seeing with the one she wanted every second of her life. 'Cypher... and Neo…'
"Hey Trin," Cypher said in the irritating voice that drove her to the edge of insanity.
As Cypher expected, Trinity walked past him without any form of recognition.
"Y'know, it isn't polite to ignore someone, Trin," Cypher mock admonished. Trinity reached into the cabinet for a bowl and spoon and sat down across from Neo with her food as he was still examining his own.
"It's not going to get any better if you leave it out," she said, taking a spoonful into her mouth.
Neo crinkled his nose as he followed Trinity's actions.
Cypher came back from behind the kitchen counter with a mug of water. He set it next to Neo's bowl, smirking as he did, and sitting unnecessarily close to Trinity. He saw Neo eyeing the cup and said, "It's for you, fresh from the faucet."
"Uh, thanks," Neo said.
"No problem."
Neo and Trinity sat awkwardly as Cypher moved closer to Trinity, practically on top of her. "Cypher, move over," Trinity demanded.
"Come on, Trin. It's cold here," Cypher reasoned. Trinity shook her head angrily and pushed him aside, going back towards the kitchen to wash her filled bowl. Neo took a tiny sip of his water, causing Cypher to chuckle. Whether it was because he took a baby-sip or because Cypher did something to his drink, he wasn't sure but stopped drinking it anyways. Neo finished his dinner as well and went to the sink. Trinity would have told him to finish, but she too lost her appetite and didn't blame him. 'Anyone would with Cypher around.' Neo waited patiently for Trinity to finish washing her dish and was caught off guard when she offered to clean it for him. "Are you sure?" Neo asked.
Trinity nodded and Neo thanked her as he left to go to his cabin. He was a little concerned about leaving Trinity alone with Cypher but assumed she could take care of herself (although he knew he'd want to be the one to care for her). Neo decided he'd wait by the mess hall until Trinity had finished and hoped they could spark a conversation.
"So, uh, Trin?" Cypher asked. Trinity eyed him carefully. "You wanna, um, go back to my room before my shift?" Trinity didn't answer. He moved closer toward her. "Huh? How 'bout it?" he asked, now behind her, holding her hips. Trinity dropped the bowl into the sink and shuddered as she felt Cypher's hot breath on her neck.
"We can just…" he trailed off as he felt under her shirt, moving slowly up to her breasts and cupping them.
"Cypher, stop," Trinity said, a hint of fear in her voice. She wasn't sure why she didn't physically stop him. This wasn't the first time he had touched her like this; they had sex before. It was different back then. It was before Trinity had taken any interest in Neo. Mostly she'd go to him for comfort when a comrade had died or when she was upset for any other reason. Cypher didn't mean anything to Trinity. She didn't respond when he said he loved her or when Cypher had practically proposed to her. If there was any chance Trinity could be with Neo, she couldn't risk herself being seen by him with Cypher.
Neo stood outside the closed door of the mess room, debating with himself whether or not to go back in. He didn't have anything else to do and he thought it was taking Trinity a long time to clean up. 'She could've gone out the other exit. If she was still there, that would look a little pathetic if I came back…I could always make up a story if they don't want me there.'
"Cypher, stop," Trinity pleaded. She was about to push him away but he took her hands and held them together behind her back as his other hand unbuttoned her pants and felt under her underwear's waistband. Her body jerked and she moaned, much to her displeasure when Cypher stroked sensitive tissue.
"Cypher," she whispered. "Stop, Cypher, please stop," she sobbed. Cypher continued to masturbate her and Trinity's knees became weak. Cypher held her up as began to lose control of her body. She urged herself to stay strong but she was being betrayed. Trinity began to see stars and she thrashed her head back, moaning and crying at the same time. Her intense build-up to her climax scared her. Cypher was never gentle with her, but he wasn't ever this vicious. He was hurting Trinity, physically and emotionally, and she couldn't defend herself. Trinity screamed aloud with fear and traces of ecstasy as she came.
Dropping his thoughts about his 'cover-up story', Neo ran back into the mess hall, responding to Trinity's cry. He immediately saw Cypher and hesitated for a moment as his brain registered what he was doing before lunging for him. Cypher pushed Trinity away from him as Neo attacked him. Trinity grunted when she scraped the side of her forehead against the corner of the counter and fell to the floor.
Neo had Cypher pinned to the floor and was throwing violent punches to Cypher's face. Morpheus and Apoc interrupted their fight; Morpheus held Neo back as Apoc helped Cypher get up and get a towel for his bleeding nose.
"Morpheus, let go of me!" Neo demanded, struggling to get free.
"Not until you calm down," Morpheus replied, seeming to have no problem restraining Neo.
Neo nodded towards Trinity, who was curled up on the floor. "Just make sure she's okay."
Apoc gasped, noticing her for the first time. Morpheus did the same.
Cypher quickly left as Apoc went to check on Trinity and Morpheus interrogated Neo.
Apoc gently pulled Trinity's shirt from her ribs down to cover her waist. He noticed her unbuttoned pants and her underwear scrunched down and pretending to ignore the stains on her clothing. She whimpered softly, tears still rolling down her cheeks. Apoc rolled her onto her back and lifted her into a sitting position. He kept an arm around her and whispered calmly, "It's alright, Trin. You'll be okay."
"Apoc, get her to the med bay," Morpheus ordered quietly.
"Should I get Tank?" Apoc asked. Although Tank was their operator, he had the most experience with medical emergencies.
Morpheus shook his head. "You can do it yourself."
Apoc kept an arm around Trinity's waist as they walked slowly out the back exit in case Cypher was still outside the other door.
"Neo..." Trinity mumbled as she walked past him. She could see the shock and hurt in his eyes causing her to sob again. Apoc rubbed her back affectionately and continued their way to the med bay.
Switch was waiting for them at the entrance of the med bay. Trinity sat on the padded table, uncomfortable in her wet pants.
"Apoc, can you do me a favor?" Trinity asked shyly.
"Yeah, sure."
"Will you get me a pair of pants I can change into?" She blushed a deep red.
He willingly accepted and left Switch to bandage Trinity's cut.
Trinity sat awkwardly as Switch cleaned the wound. "You don't have to be embarrassed, Trinity," Switch reminded her.
"I am though. God, why couldn't it have been anyone else but Neo?"
"What?" Switch asked, confused.
"Do you remember when I told you the Oracle said I'd fall in love with the One?"
Switch nodded.
"Neo is the One. I'm sure of it," Trinity said simply.
"So, you love him?
Trinity nodded again. "I was so scared. The worst part was that I wasn't afraid for myself. I was afraid he'd see me with Cypher. And he did. He probably thinks... I don't know. We're together? Or that I'm a slut or something. I don't know."
"Neo?" Apoc asked, walking in on their conversation. "No way. I saw how he looked at you Trinity, and there's no way he thinks that."
"Looked at me how?" Trinity mumbled.
"He was in pain looking at you, seeing you so hurt. Neo saw you at your lowest point and he couldn't bare it, Trinity. I think now he just wants to know you're alright."
Trinity stepped off the table, smiling, and took her new clothes into the one-person bathroom inside the med bay.
"What do you think will happen to Cypher?" Switch asked quietly.
Apoc scoffed. "I don't know, but I'm sure it won't be awkward for him, Trinity, and Neo," he said sarcastically.
Switch kicked him hard in the shin. "Don't be an ass."
Trinity halfheartedly smiled at the couple holding hands (despite their little fight), as she tossed her rolled up clothes into the large trash barrel.
The three stood together in silence until Trinity said, "If you two could not tell the rest of the crew what happened, I'd really appreciate it."
"Knowing Cypher, he probably already told them," Apoc said.
"He told me. That's how I got down here before you two. He probably told them the version he likes though," Switch added. "We'll tell everyone it isn't true."
Trinity thanked them.
Morpheus cleared his throat at the double doors of the med bay. "Trinity, may I talk to you?" Morpheus glanced at the other couple.
Taking the hint, Switch and Apoc left together and Morpheus waited until they were out of earshot.
"I contacted Zion," he started, "I told them about your issues with Cypher. They can't remove him from our ship now, but they will soon. As for now, I'm reorganizing shift times so it's likely you won't see each other anywhere on the ship. I'm giving you a couple days off-"
"No, Morpheus, that isn't necessary. I'm perfectly fine to continue work," Trinity interrupted.
"I believe that. I want you to rest for a few days. You've been taking extra shifts lately and I doubt you've been getting much sleep. You deserve a break."
"Thank you. Is that all, sir?"
"Not yet. I'm not quite sure how I'm going to punish Neo."
"Morpheus, please don't. He's having enough trouble dealing with all this and the matrix; he doesn't need the one person he trusts to turn on him."
Morpheus smirked. "If it was the one he trusts, you would tell him, Trinity."
"What?" She demanded.
Morpheus shook his head. "You should sleep. It's been a long day for you."
Walking back to her cabin, Trinity felt exhausted. She hadn't felt it before, but now she felt like she could collapse any moment. She couldn't stay awake much longer. A shower could wait. For now, she needed sleep.
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Neo was lying on his stiff bed, replaying today's scene in his head. He wondered how far he would've taken the fight with Cypher if Morpheus and Apoc hadn't pulled them apart. He felt a bruise right below his eye starting to swell. He hadn't even realized Cypher had hit him, he was so angry.
There was a knock on Neo's door and Morpheus entered before Neo could say anything.
"Neo, I hope you know that I'm not happy with your actions. Normally when crew members physically fight, their punishment would be to work more. Fortunately, for you, there isn't much one with two weeks experience can do," Morpheus said, chuckling. "I'm afraid that for now, I'll have to let you go with a warning. Goodnight, Neo."
Neo let out a sigh of relief. He had beat up a man and received no punishment without having to say a single word.
Trinity woke up nearly seven hours later, feeling more rested than she had felt in a long time. She was still tired, but she wouldn't let herself fall asleep any longer. She needed a shower as soon as possible.
Gathering her favorite clothes and a bar of soap, she headed towards the showers, walking by the Core first to see their new schedules. Mouse was on duty now. She wouldn't run into Cypher; his shift was two hours ago. He was sure to be sleeping now.
Trinity was surprised to hear one of the five showers running. The water stopped. Normally she waited to be alone to take her turn, but for now she didn't care. She had to wash away Cypher's touch. Even if it had been hours ago, Trinity felt like the longer remnants of him were on her, the longer the traumatizing memory would stay. A wave of terror passed by Trinity; 'What if it's Cypher? It can't be. He always sleeps at least four hours after his shift.'
Assuring herself she'd be safe, Trinity claimed her normal stall, the one at the very end of the room. Being the shower next to the furnace room, it was usually the one that got the hottest water.
Trinity undressed herself and folded the clothes neatly. Forgetting a towel, she quickly ran to the closet on the opposite side of the room and grabbed the first towel she saw. Realizing it was the one Cypher always used, she threw it aside and took the next one. Trinity heard a gasp behind her. She slowly turned to see Neo – wearing only a towel covering below his naval- staring at her.
"Trinity…" he said with a surprised tone. He scanned her seemingly unflawed body, memorizing her curves and remarkable features.
Trinity unfolded the towel covered herself with it. She met his gaze for a second then looked down at the floor and walked briskly back to her stall.
A part of her was relieved when she heard Neo leave. 'Nothing can happen between the two of you. Not yet anyways. He doesn't even know he's the One…' Trinity thought as she got dressed.
"Trinity," Neo called as she walked past his open cabin door. She stopped and turned, brown eyes staring into her blue.
"Sorry," he said, face red from embarrassment.
""For what?" Trinity asked playfully. 'Am I flirting?' she wondered.
"Back there in the showers. I didn't mean to- Sorry." He looked down and back up at her, hiding a smile.
Trinity smiled too. She turned to walk away but Neo called her again.
"Do you want to talk?" He wondered nervously.
"About what?" Trinity asked.
Neo shrugged. "I don't know. I just… think I need to tell someone how I feel about the matrix and this new life."
Trinity thought for a moment. "Yeah, alright. I just want to put this stuff away." She raised her old clothes for Neo to see. He nodded.
Trinity opened her door as quietly as she could, knowing that Switch would come out of her room if she heard her. She couldn't let anyone get in her way of Neo even if they were just talking.
Trinity went back to Neo smiling brightly as she shut the door. Neo flashed his white teeth. Trinity had sat down next to Neo before he had dragged her into a detailed conversation about how he first found Morpheus. Of course, she had already known; she was watching him, but he didn't know that.
He had gotten Trinity to open up about her past on the ship, including Cypher.
"How long have you known him?" Neo asked.
"Probably seven years. That's how long we've been on the Nebuchadnezzar together." Trinity shook her head. "It doesn't seem like so long ago we went on our first mission."
"Oh," Neo said softly.
"I never told you that he proposed to me," Trinity said, laughing quietly.
"What?" Neo asked, astonished.
Trinity laughed again. "Yeah. We were in Zion and I was with Switch at a temple gathering. Cypher had been," she sighed, "in love with me. I didn't see anything in him so I was so surprised when he got down on one knee that I ran. Switch had to go after me and make me apologize."
They had stopped talking as they began to recall their pasts. When Neo had been too far lost in his thoughts, Trinity asked, "What?"
"What were you like before you were unplugged?" Neo asked with a tone of sadness.
Trinity was a little bit surprised by the question, but remembered she too had asked when she was about Neo's 'age'.
"Well, I was kind of like you," she answered. "I was alone and I was looking for answers-"
"No, before that. Like when you were a kid," Neo said.
Trinity huffed. "Neo, that was so long ago. I don't remember much…"
"Try to," he suggested.
She thought for a moment. "I remember when I was a teenager; my mom picked me up from school early on my birthday. I had mashed potatoes, French fries, and Captain Crunch for dinner. She never made me the dinner I wanted, but that day she did. Then the next day my dad died," Trinity said sadly.
"I'm sorry," Neo said sympathetically and took her hand into his.
Trinity smiled weakly. "It's alright. It was probably for the best. If I hadn't been so depressed, I never would have gotten interested in computers. I never would have found Morpheus. Or you," she added.
"There's something about you, Neo," Trinity said, "and I don't know what it is. I feel like… Like I can open up to you. I've never felt like this around someone before." She paused. "I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing."
Neo chuckled. "I don't know either."
Trinity glanced behind Neo at the clock mounted on his wall. "It's getting late. I should probably go back to my room."
"Yeah," Neo said. "Thanks for staying here."
She nodded. Neo opened the door for her, but Trinity paused. "You know, I'm glad I didn't say yes to Cypher."
"Why is that?" Neo breathed.
"Because then I'd never be able to forgive myself for doing this."
She stood on her toes and kissed Neo lightly. At first, he was surprised, but he relaxed into it and kissed her back. Trinity broke away after a few seconds and noticed the smile on Neo's face.
"Goodnight, Neo," she said softly, looking back at him as she walked towards her room.
"Night Trin."
Happy two thousand and nine, everybody! I wish you all a years worth of health and happiness. =]
Reviews would be great, if you can.