Disclaimer: THEY AREN'T MINE!!! Even the characters you don't recognize aren't mine. All original characters that are mentioned are property of the people who created them on various Role-Playing Mailing Lists.
Italics=memories and thoughts
Missions were so much easier these days. Neo was a walking, talking security blanket for the entire team. Their new members, Aeon and Azkyn, seemed to be handling the dual realties that they had to deal with rather well. Neither one had refused a mission thus far, and both seemed to be terribly interested in one another. Trinity smiled at that thought. Given the lack of suitable romantic environments, two people falling for one another was a grand occasion indeed. And who else would know that better than she?
This mission was no biggie. All they had to do was prevent the construction of the newest alternate mainframe for the Matrix codes. Finding the One had given the crew a sense of added safety, which miraculously never impaired the seriousness with which they approached every mission. Neo could have easily finished this off single-handedly, but Morpheus had made sure to involve the whole team this time. It was necessary to keep their skills sharp and to avoid relying on Neo to do everything. In another five minutes, they would have finished off this place and would be on their way back to the Nebuchadnezzar.
"TRINITY!" She turned just in time to see the steal beam come crashing towards her face.
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Pain. Dimensions of torture that no one could ever have experienced before. Trinity knew she had to be unconscious. The pain was excruciating, but it felt removed from where she was. In this place of darkness, Trinity neither stood nor sat. The locomotion she experienced was akin to floating. That was it. She was floating somewhere between the dreams of the unconscious and the pain of reality.
The pain would wax then wane as she yo-yoed between the two positions. After a while of this, Trinity could feel her mind abandon its tenuous hold on the sensations of the real world. As she tumbled, Trinity passed her memories flying upward and away, back to her conscious mind.
"Neo?" He looked up. Trinity's breath caught in her throat. Any time he looked at her like that her nerves became as solid as Jell-O. 'And he knows it too' Trinity smiled at his questioning look. The regulated bowl of slop was in front of him, and he had been doing his best to choke it down. Neo didn't appear all that upset that she had interrupted him, which was understandable.
"What's up?" He slid over so she could plunk down next to him. Since no one was around, Neo allowed himself the leisure of putting an arm around her waist. The pleasant feel of his arm pulling her close only served to cause more trouble with forming coherent thought, let alone words. Intensely private, they both understood that such public displays of affection were not to be encouraged, especially because they would only get progressively more affectionate if allowed to continue. On a ship with three other men and only one other woman, it was a little like rubbing the others' noses in it.
Neo broke her reverie by sighing and shoving the half-emptied bowl of food towards her.
"Forget it. It's cruel and unusual to make anyone eat that stuff." Neo gave her a sly smile. "So, want mine?" She stuck her tongue out at him. Behind her lips, she was biting down on her tongue to keep the nausea, caused by the sight and smell of the food, at bay. Noticing her adverse reaction, Neo chuckled. "I know. It's that awful. Well, maybe not." He turned to examine her more carefully. "Something wrong?" She didn't answer. Somehow, she had managed to decide on whether or not to tell him, but she had conveniently forgot to think of how to tell him.
"Trin, what is it? Hey, look at me." He slid his finger under her chin and lifted her head so she was forced to meet his gaze. "Tell me, please?" She lost all her apprehension. In his eyes were two emotions: love and concern. Nothing she could say would change his love, but she could easily alleviate his concern. She had to hope his love would handle the rest. How would he take it if he knew...?
"I'm pregnant." She shut off her emotional tap right after she choked those words out. Straight analysis would better dictate how he felt, so she began to catalog his every reaction. Widened eyes, mouth ever-so-slightly agape, pupils searching back and forth across her face...he was surprised. Then there was a tightening of the arm he had draped around her...protection or shock?
A beautiful smile...acceptance...love...happiness. The cold barrier that had kept her from feeling the sensitive and tender emotions of the moment melted under his radiant grin. Shoving away the bowl on the table, Neo grabbed her into a fierce hug, while at the same time being extremely careful not to squeeze her too hard. She didn't want to break the embrace, but she wished desperately to see his face, to reassure herself that he was as deliriously happy as she wanted him to be.
A light tickle on her shoulder erased any doubts. She could feel the trickle of Neo's tears on her bare skin. Without doubt, she was inundated by the immense tide of ecstasy. Neo wanted this, he may not have known in until now, but she knew that he wanted this child. She started to cry along with him. When she had first figured it out, she had been this happy until anxiety had set in. Relief was a welcome change from worry.
"Neo?" His strong embrace didn't slacken. She forcibly pulled one of his arms away, letting his other stay around her shoulders, and moved his hand down to her abdomen. When he realized what she had done, Neo shivered. Slowly, he massaged her stomach, his breathing shallow as he did so.
"You're going to have my baby." Sobs started anew in her chest. It wasn't a sexist or dominating statement. She had thought the same thing when she had discovered it. Naturally it was hers, but it was Neo's too. A giddy joy was derived from that. She couldn't believe how lucky she was to be able to have his baby. "Thank you, Trin. This is the best present I've ever gotten." She giggled as she wiped away the profuse tears.
"Me too." They kissed until the echoing of footsteps heading for the mess hall was heard. She stood up, still wiping at her eyes, and gave Neo's hand a squeeze as she walked over to the sink with the dishes. Morpheus came in a second later, just after Neo had cleared his own eyes. She listened with her back turned as Morpheus outlined the next mission. When he mentioned her part, she heard Neo's sharp inhalation. Given the latest news, Neo understandably didn't want her going in.
"I'm ready when everyone else is, Morpheus." She flashed Neo a look, and he nodded; he would drop the matter for now. There would be plenty of time for her not to join the team later. After all, what could one more mission possibly hurt?
"This much," Trinity mumbled as she woke up. Beyond the pain, she could feel the axial line still plugged into the back of her head. Odd, she thought, why hadn't anyone unplugged her? Opening her eyes, she could tell she had been brought to the outside. But there wasn't anyone around. From her best guess, Trinity thought she was on the Neb. Once she freed herself from the chair, she began some preliminary investigations. The ship was not only deserted, it wasn't even running. By the time she got to the cockpit, she had figured that much out. The actual sight of the world through the glass window only proved her assumption correct.
So where was everyone? Trinity walked over to the computers and fiddled with a few of the buttons. By some miracle, reserve power kicked in and the monitor lit up. Frantically, she tried to recall some emergency numbers. The dial-up directory for a general emergency was still functioning. Trinity typed out her message and gave the Neb's identification codes.
[GENERAL DISTRESS CALL: Any and all ships in the vicinity of ship #34068493 please respond.]
Within seconds, a ship identifying itself as #12960777, the Amazon, responded with an equally frantic reply.
[REPLY: Who is this? This isn't funny. Identify yourself immediately.]
[My name is Trinity and I am stuck on the Nebuchadnezzar. I need help.]
[Trin? Jesus! This is Tank.]
Tank? Why the hell was he on the Amazon? Why had the crew been transplanted elsewhere? Why had she been left behind?
[Tank, I need your help. I woke up and you guys were gone...can you just come get me?]
[Done and done. Be there in half an hour.]
Trinity closed down the computers to avoid attracting any sentinel attention. She crawled back to the chairs, curled up, and waited for the Amazon to arrive. While she waited, she tried to think, tried to make some rhyme or reason of her situation. Deeply immersed in her thoughts, Trinity didn't hear the preliminary screeches of another ship docking with the Neb. The loud, final clunk of a bridge connecting brought her out of her silent musings. She jumped up and ran to the external door. Throwing it open, Trinity held her breath waiting to see who had come to pick her up.
"Trinity?" Neo. With all due celerity, Trinity tumbled back into the security of unconsciousness.
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"She looks just the same."
"How is it possible that she...?"
"Shh! She's coming around." Trinity felt the bright lights on her eyelids. Slowly, she opened them to squint at the people standing far enough away to give her enough space. To her immediate right, Tank was hovering. "How are you feeling?"
"A bit confused, but it's good to see you, Tank." Shifting her gaze, Trinity's eyes rested on the pair standing at her feet. The man was Neo, the woman...Aeon? Their basic features were so familiar, but something was different. Looking back at Tank, she pinpointed the change. Tank's dark hair was marked by thin wisps of gray. Gray? Tank? Trinity shook her head, checked again, and came up with the same image. Though she was looking at Tank, from the corner of her eye, she was checking out Neo and Aeon. They, too, looked remarkably older, at least ten years she guessed.
Tank stood, walked over to them and whispered something. Obviously, Tank had noticed she wasn't paying attention to him. Neo nodded, gave Trinity one longing glance, then walked out.
Suddenly, pain was no longer the top pressure on her mind. As Neo and Aeon walked out, behind their backs they had tangled their fingers together. Trinity watched them until they rounded the corner; every step they took threatened to kill her. Aeon resting her head on Neo's shoulder...Neo rubbing her hand with his thumb...
The heartbreak was too much. Trinity passed out.
End Part 1