ibliniy: Just so you know, this takes place after the third movie. I think we're doing alternating chapters.

venividivici10: I thought that's what we agreed...

ibliniy: Whatsapp is confusing...

This was it. The day. The hour. The moment.

Neo's funeral.

With shaking hands, Trinity pulled on her clothes, which she had dyed black. She let her feet touch the floor of the Neb, the coldness seeping into her. She was so aware of everything. Her breath misting in front of her. The tiny creaks of their ship. The soft tapping of someone outside her room, impatient but waiting.

"Trinity?" It was Morpheus, whispering through the door. "It's time." His footsteps faded away.

For a moment she sat there, her body refusing to move. If she did this, if she went out and faced all those people, she would be accepting Neo's death. Accepting that her One was dead. Her love. Accepting that she would never look into those deep brown doe eyes again.

She moved suddenly. This wasn't her, this wasn't Trinity. Trinity was strong, fearless. Not some weepy, clingy girl. Neo would want her to do this. Neo would want her to face the crowds. If she wasn't going out there for herself, she was doing it for Neo. She walked out of her room, frowning slightly as the artificial light hit her eyes, and she took a deep breath as she composed herself.

"We're with you Trin," came a voice from behind her,and she knew it was Tank and the others. Her faithful friends. You couldn't find another bunch like 'em. She gritted her teeth and walked out. No turning back. Ever.

The crowds stared at her as she went by. Trinity knew for a fact, from Tank's and Apoc's complaints, that Neo rarely shut up about her while she was away. The whole city must have known how close they were. She missed him.

Some patted her on the arm, others whispered, stared on. She ignored all of them, willing her knees not to give away as she walked up the steps where Morpheus and the council were waiting.

"I see Smith isn't here," said Apoc.

"Good," she muttered through gritted teeth, "Otherwise I would have killed the fucking idiot myself."

This earned some laughter anyone and everyone who heard. Trinity could be formidable and funny when she wanted.

She stood with weak knees throughout the entire ceremony. There was no body; man and machine alike hadn't been able to find it. In a way, Trinity was glad. Her image of Neo would always be of him gazing at her, whispering in her ear, and generally being lovely to everyone he met. But then again, his body would be lost and out there somewhere. She pushed away the unwanted thoughts. Neo was always going to be with her, watching her. For them, their love was eternal.

The ceremony ended and the time of mourning had begun. She heard nothing; instead scanning the crowd, waiting for a familiar face to appear. Anyone, any person at all.

"Trinity. Trin," hissed Switch, shaking her friend slightly. She jumped when Trinity glared at her then stared back out into the crowd.

Because she saw Neo in the crowd. Black hair, deep brown doe eyes. He was there.

"Trinity," said Morpheus. "He's not coming back. The One's journey is over."

Her eyes dropped, and she jumped off the stage, landing with a thud. Her weak real world muscles did her proud; she managed to walk off without the slightest pain in her knees. Head held high, she managed to keep her composure until she had calmly declined her friend's requests to talk, and had shut the door behind her.

Then, she broke down. Tears streamed unchecked, dripping onto her bed.

"Why did you leave me?" she whisper screamed, her voice coming out croaky and distorted "I loved you! It's not fair!" She pulled at her hair, glaring at everything Neo had left behind. It was just too... normal. A flare went up inside her. She needed to destroy this-now.

Aria disappeared back into her ship, The Shadow, still clutching her well used sketch book tightly. Leaning against the door, she allowed her dark hair to fall across her shoulder, hiding her eyes.

Her deep, brown doe eyes.

"Hey, Ari. How was the expedition?" It was Chris, leaning against the doorway. He about 6ft, a bit taller than her. She was 5ft 8". His brown hair looked red in the light, and his dark eyes were full of concern. He was the only one she'd told, about her father. Brief flashes, whispered words. And hands, hands that stroked her hair in the dark stormy night. She had told him everything she remembered. Aria felt a special attachment to her father, her love unconditional, despite his lack of presence in life.

"Went well," Aria replied. She kept her 'Matrix' name, as the others called it, purely because her father gave it to her. She could vaguely remember that it had something to do with her being special and different. "Saw the girlfriend, but the guy wasn't there." She carefully avoided calling Neo 'dad' in case she was pursuing the wrong guy. "I'm going to talk to her now."

"OK..." said Chris, wiping his oiled hands on his green t-shirt. "But be careful."

She nodded, left the ship, and went back into the crowd. Aria attracted a lot of stares from others, mainly because she was prettier than the other girls, with her long hair and eyelashes, and full lips, compared to their short hair and thin frames. But despite that, no one pointed her out and she made it to a ship called the Neb safely.

"Excuse me?" she stammered, looking around the door.

A woman, about 40, came out of her room. It was the girlfriend. "What?" she snapped. Her eyes were red rimmed, like she'd been crying.

Aria took a deep breath. "I'm looking for Neo. I think I have something to tell him."

"You think?" said the girlfriend, raising her eyebrows.

"W-well, I'm not sure, I just need to conf- Is that him?" She spotted a picture of Neo taped to the wall. They looked so alike! Not to mention she could almost remember his face. Her phantom father and Neo practically matched.

"Yeah, it's him. Whaddaya want? He's dead."

"What?" Her heart dropped. "Dead," she choked out. "He's dead." And she ran, allowing the tears to fall freely. There was nothing left for her anymore. Why did she leave the Matrix in the first place? She couldn't even remember. All she wanted was that face, those hands, the touch of her father.

A dead man.

ibliniy: Lots of family feels! I hope you liked the first chapter! There is a greater plot to it!

venividivici10: I'm doing the non-canon romance pairings!

ibliniy: Get ready!

Laters,

ibliniy and venividivici10 xxx