A/N: I have a whole heap of author's notes. Firstly, I must apologize as I didn't proof read my last chapter and therefore made several careless errors spelling and grammar wise. Hope it wasn't too annoying and I'll try to proof read more often.
Also, congratulations to my 100th reviewer, Q who requested a Neo/Trinity conversation about their relationship. So here it is-along with some stuff at the end I hope everyone will like! Chapter dedicated to Q because of the great suggestion- THANKS!
Q: I hope this chapter is what you wanted. Please tell me what you thought about it. Also, I'm sorry but I don't want to use the whole 'Logos rescues the Neb' thing because that plot line has been used too many times. Even though this is a recycled plot, I am trying my best to make it as original as possible. That's why I'm having the Neb's crew get themselves out of a sticky situation.
Warning that this is a long chapter (to go with a LONG author's note). But I hope you all enjoy it anyways!
14
Trinity awoke the next morning with a sharp pain in her back and shoulders. Figuring this must be caused from sleeping in such an unusual position, she rolled away from the wall and groaned, now regretting not getting a decent night's sleep.
Pushing back the covers, she scrambled out of bed with the intentions of checking on Neo and then getting something to eat before she started work on repairing the ship. Even if she hadn't been told to do so, she knew that she wouldn't be able to concentrate on anything unless she knew he had made it through the night. She tugged the door open, crossed to the next room and opened the door with a soft creak in case he may be sleeping. Despite her current state of depression, Trinity couldn't help but let a smile creep onto her face at the sight before her.
Even though he had a whole double bed to himself, Neo lay pressed up against the wall, tangled amongst his blankets with a small smile evident on his lips. She leaned against the doorframe, arms folded across her chest as she listened to the gentle sounds of his breathing. In....out....in....out....
Reluctantly, she left him and closed the door behind her as gently as she could.
Take all the rest you can get, Neo. She thought to herself. I have a feeling you're going to need it.
(o)
Neo opened his eyes slowly, gazing drearily around at his new surroundings. He seemed to be in some sort of sleeping room...but who's, and where? After pondering this a while, he decided it didn't matter. The accommodation here was much better and he somehow felt that the environment was a safe one.
He moved away from the wall (which he had somehow felt drawn to in sleep last night) to stretch out across the bed, only to realize there was a needle in one of the plugs on his lower arm that was connected to an IV pouch. Gritting his teeth, he reached over with his free arm and tugged it out. The needle fell slack, the final dregs of clear fluid dripping onto the blankets.
He lay still, trying to recollect his thoughts, which proved to be difficult since he found he had a killer headache. The last clear memory he had was of kissing Trinity, and beyond that everything was a blur.
I think I remember Trinity taking me to the Med Bay...She was talking to Morpheus...and she was holding my hand...
The door to his room opened suddenly, causing Neo to jump. Trinity stood in the doorframe, disheveled and dirty with beads of sweat clinging to her forehead and still managing to look beautiful. At least in Neo's frame of mind she did. To him, she'd always be an image of perfection.
She was smiling softly, a hand resting on the doorframe as she watched him in slight surprise....at least he thought it was surprise. He wished she wouldn't hide her emotions so well, so he could at least have some indication as to what she was thinking or feeling. Somehow, he knew that what was to follow would be awkward.
"You're awake." She said softly, still smiling. "Good."
Smiling now too, Neo tried to push himself up in the bed, only to gasp in sudden pain. Pulling away the mess of blankets, he came to see that someone had stitched up several of his bullet wounds, leaving the smaller ones open.
"Are you alright?" Trinity asked nervously, taking half a step into the room.
"I will be." He grinned, running fingers across the damaged skin. "What about you?"
She only shrugged in reply, not properly answering the question. Truthfully, she wasn't sure if he meant to ask if she was physically alright or emotionally alright, and she had a different answer to both questions. Besides, she knew he would ask questions afterward if she continued the conversation and she didn't think she was ready to answer them yet. Admitting her feelings for him to herself had been hard enough. Admitting them to Morpheus had been even harder. She'd admitted them to Neo once....but she wasn't sure if she could muster up enough courage to do so again so soon after everything that had happened. There was so much more going on in her mind right now....
"I'm just going to get some stuff to clean you up a bit." She gestured over her shoulder into the corridor that lay beyond, moving backwards out of the room. "If you're hungry, I could bring you some food as well.
"Thanks, that'd be great." He smiled kindly, now realizing just how hungry he was despite his pain.
"Right, well, um..." She mumbled, pausing to clear her throat as she reached the outside corridor. "I'll be back later. Just....stay here, ok?"
Where else would I go? Neo thought to himself as she hurried away. He fell back onto the bed, chuckling to himself as he waited for her return.
(o)
Outside, Trinity was taking quick steps towards the Med Bay despite her exhaustion, muttering to herself as she went.
"That was so uncomfortable. Goddamnit, can't I even go five minutes without making an ass of myself in front of Neo?"
She had to admit, she was surprised that he could recover so quickly. It had only been one night and half a day since she rendered him unconscious and now he seemed perfectly active again. Perhaps his abilities as the One had something to do with it....or perhaps he was just naturally able to heal much faster than anyone else. Whatever the cause, she was secretly a little excited about the prospect of building up a proper relationship. If they could ever find a way to overcome this period of awkwardness....
Arriving in the Med Bay, she deliberately ignored the covered bodies of Mouse, Switch, Apoc, Dozer and Cypher and proceeded to the far bench to retrieve a tray and load it with medical supplies. As she did so, she became aware of a distinct change in her dialogue.
They're not people anymore. They're not Dozer, Apoc, Mouse and Switch. They're just bodies...that's all...just bodies...
She left the Med Bay as quickly as possible and made her way to the Mess Hall instead. She found another tray and used it to hold a bowl of food, a spoon and a mug of water. Balancing a tray on each hand, she slowly moved back to Neo, often finding she had to retrace her steps in order to bring both trays bellow deck.
She found Neo lying atop his covers and staring absent mindedly at the ceiling directly above him. He sat up the moment he heard the door open and cringed with pain while doing so, causing her to cringe as well. Bending to lift the tray she had to set on the floor in order to open the door, Trinity made her way into the room and then placed both trays on the floor, kneeling beside his bed.
"What are you going to do?" Neo asked quietly, rolling on his side to face her and eyeing the medical equipment apprehensively as she rummaged through it. He'd always hated hospitals, disease and illness. It made him feel weak and quezzy, even if he had Trinity in the room beside him for comfort.
"Help you." She answered simply, taking the dressing for his wounds in her hands. "Now lie back, and try to relax."
The last time someone told me to try and relax, they shoved a needle up the back of my head. Neo frowned at the unpleasant memory, but obeyed her nevertheless. How could he not trust Trinity with his health, even when it came to medication and illness?
Almost at once, Trinity's hands touched his chest, guiding the ointment across his open wounds. He let out a gasp of surprise, having not expected this to happen, though he couldn't deny that he wasn't going to enjoy it. Trinity withdrew her hand immediately, scared she'd done something to offend him. She met his eyes directly, raising an eyebrow in question.
"Y-Your hands are cold." He lied, rubbing the back of his head with his hand out of nervousness.
"Oh." Was all Trinity could think to say. She timidly replaced her hand, dressing the wounds as delicately as she could. She felt her face grow hot, and her hands trembled against his skin. When she'd first collected the dressing from the Med Bay, she didn't even think about it in the way she was thinking about her now. There was something about the whole idea of running her fingers across Neo's fragile and damaged skin that seemed a little sleezy, no matter what the real purpose of doing so was. Although she couldn't deny that the smoothness of his skin was unpleasant....
The dressing was perhaps a little cold, but virtually painless. It was Trinity's touch that bothered him the most. Her hands slid across his bare skin, fluttering around the outside of his wounds. When she finished dressing one bullet wound, she wouldn't lift her hands off his chest but instead simply glided them across his skin softly....soothingly. Before too long, he found himself biting on the insides of his cheeks to stop a moan escaping the back of his throat.
"Trinity?" He managed to grumble in the form of a question. Trinity was taken aback by his tone of voice, yet determined not to show it, scared that her assumptions could be wrong.
"Mmmm?" She replied as she broke from her thoughts, purposely focusing on the task at hand.
"This is kind of awkward, isn't it?" He said with a smile, relieved to see his voice was back to normal.
Trinity allowed a short breath of laughter to pass through her lips, grinning to herself. At least she wasn't the only one who felt this way. Now finished, she set the dressing aside and applied ice to the bruises on his stomach and back in silence, causing the same reaction from both as before. Once this was done, Trinity lifted the food tray and placed it on Neo's lap. He sat up immediately and took the spoon in his hand, suddenly feeling an intense desire to eat the revolting stuff in front of him. Any food was better than no food.
"I'm going to have to dress those wounds until scabs form over the top." Trinity informed him, secretly much to Neo's delight. "The bruises should heal on their own from now on, just so long as you don't bump them. And I'll be able to take the stitches out in a couple of weeks."
"Thanks." Neo set down his spoon and swallowed a mouthful, fixing her with a serious stare. "For everything."
Trinity froze through packing up the tray of medical supplies. This was the first time either had spoken about what happened the previous day- she knew that he meant to thank her for more than just bringing him food and treating his wounds. He meant to thank her for bringing him back to life....perhaps (dare she even think it) for loving him. She longed to talk to him about it...to ask if he'd heard her confession of love, ask what dying felt like....ask him if he loved her and if so, when he fell in love with her. But the words caught in her throat and she simply couldn't make them into sentences. This was not just a matter of pride and reputation, but (as most things were with Neo) a matter of fear. She was afraid of what he might say.
Instead, she packed the tray and set two greenish tablets and an IV pouch aside. Neo pulled a face at the IV pouch, causing Trinity to smile. He set his empty food bowl aside and reluctantly held out a hand to accept the tablets.
"It will help, Neo." She reasoned. "Just deal with it."
She watched him swallow the pills before taking the empty IV pouch off the wall and replacing it with the full one. Neo held out his arm and she squeezed it tightly, tenderly prodding the needle into one of the plugs in his lower arm. Taking both trays in her arms, she crossed back to the open door.
"Where are you going?" Asked Neo urgently, making her pause.
"First to check on Tank." She answered, not bothering to turn around but not moving either. "Then back to work."
"Back to work?" He asked in confusion.
"I have to help Morpheus repair the ship. If a sentinel should attack, we'd be defenseless. Once the ship is in a good enough condition to fly, we'll go back to Zion for full repairs." Trinity explained.
"How long have you been working?"
"All day." Trinity replied, suddenly overcome with exhaustion at the thought. Frankly, she would have much rather been on her way to bed than back to work. "It's about midday, Matrix time."
"Really? How long have I been out?"
"All day." Trinity repeated. "And all last night. Now I better go, try and get some rest."
You're the one who really needs it by the sound of things. Neo thought to himself as Trinity left him be, shutting the door behind her as she went. Besides, I think I'm all rested out.
But even so, only minutes after Trinity had departed, the tablets worked their magic and Neo found himself welcoming sleep.
(o)
Trinity found Tank sitting up in bed with his arms folded behind his head, whistling to himself. Her face changed to an immediate scowl at the sight of him.
If he's good enough to sit up in bed and sing to himself, then he should be able to help out on the ship. Although when she did consider this later, perhaps she realized that she was being slightly irrational. Tank had lost just as much as her, and the injury he had obtained wasn't a pretty sight. He may have been up-keeping a bright face, but perhaps it was merely a mask he made to keep others around him in high spirits and maintain his reputation for being cheerful even in a crisis. Much similar to the mask of stone Trinity relied on so often to keep her emotions at bay.
"Oh hey, Trinity." Tank said with a sheepish grin when he noticed her presence in the room. "You know, I just realized what a neat freak my brother was. I mean, look at this place! Not a piece of dust out of place. What am I doing in Dozer's room anyway?"
"How long have you been up?" Trinity said coldly, folding her arms across her chest.
"About two hours." Tank shrugged innocently. Somehow, Trinity thought he was lying. His condition wasn't as good as he made it out to be and he most likely wouldn't be fit to work. But it was just like Tank to try and keep her feeling in a good mood. However, she pretended not to notice this and continued to play the part of the cold and emotionless ranking officer to perfection.
"You mean to tell me you've been up for two hours and you haven't even bothered to get out of bed?" She said bitterly.
"I'm injured!" Tank protested, thrashing around in bed and mimicking someone in pain. "Oh pain! Urgh...I'm in agony."
"Oh God." Trinity shook her head, moving into the room and smiling. Tank's playfulness was infective, and his attempt to put her in a good mood was working.
"What's all that stuff?" Tank asked, nodding to the trays Trinity had left at the door.
"I was just visiting Neo." Trinity stared intently at her shoes, taking the cuffs of her sleeves in her hands. "I-I was treating his wounds and bringing him food. Now I've come to do the same for you."
"Our own personal little matron." Tank joked. "All you'd need is a frilly white dress and a hair net. Add a bit of makeup and you'd fit the part to perfection."
Trinity tried to frown, but ended up laughing. "Anything I can get you then?"
"No," Tank shook his head. "If I had wanted something, I would have gotten up."
"Obviously you're not in too much pain." Trinity frowned, although she was sure he was lying. "Even so, I'll give you something to ease the pain. Give me that empty IV pouch and I'll be back with some water."
Moments later, she returned to Tank's room with two tablets and a mug of water. Tank accepted it gratefully and had drained his water in an instant.
"I should go." Trinity said as she took his empty mug. "I have to help Morpheus repair the ship."
"And leave me all alone?" Tank pouted.
"If you're feeling lonely then you can either get up and help us or pay a visit to Neo. He's sleeping now, but when he comes to he'll be wanting some company. He's staying in Apoc and Switch's old room."
"Why?" Tank asked. "And how come he gets the double bed?"
"Because it was the closest room to the ladder." Trinity continued. "In case you didn't know, Morpheus and I had to carry you and Neo down the ladder after stitching up your wounds."
"Really?" He said cheerily. "Well if you find a spare moment later on today, I'd appreciate it if you could tell me what the fuck else happened yesterday."
"Ask Neo." Trinity smirked. "He'll give you your answers."
(o)
"Knock, knock!" Shouted a voice from the corridor accompanying a fierce wrapping on the door.
"Yeah?" Neo muttered groggily, struggling to sit up. The door swung open and Tank filled the doorframe, beaming brightly and clutching a blanket around his shoulders. Feeling slightly annoyed at being woken from a peaceful sleep, Neo shifted into a sitting position and coaxed his head to the side in confusion.
"Sorry if I woke you up." Tank apologized. "But I thought I'd pay you a visit. Sitting around in bed all day isn't a great way to pass the time when you have to do it alone. I can agree to that."
Tank crossed the room and sat, cross-legged on the floor, staring up at Neo in anticipation like an eager student looks to his teacher. Neo shifted uncomfortably, wondering where this would lead.
"I'm still kind of confused about the other day." Tank admitted. "I heard Cypher's half of the conversation with Trinity during his betrayal, and I watched everything on the Matrix screens. It was really weird. First you were dead, then you were alive. Next thing I knew you and Trinity were kissing."
"Yeah, I suppose that's confusing." Neo felt his cheeks redden as he rubbed the back of his head.
"I was hoping you could fill in the blanks." Tank continued hopefully.
Before Neo could reply, the door burst open and Morpheus entered the room.
"Trinity told me you were both awake." He said.
"Just in time, sir." Tank grinned. "Neo's going to explain about everything that happened the other day."
"Yes, I was hoping that the three of us could sit down and piece things together." Morpheus smiled. "But only if you're up to it, Neo."
"Sure I am." Neo answered almost immediately.
"Just tell us what you know, Neo." Morpheus ordered. "Everything from the moment I was taken. Maybe the three of us will be able to make sense of it all."
"Well most of our problems started with Cypher." Neo said thoughtfully.
"He made a deal with the Agents behind our backs so he could get back into the Matrix. He killed Switch, Apoc and....Dozer." Tank sighed, his eyes clouding with sadness only to suddenly infuriate with anger. "But before he could kill Trinity and Neo, I fired at him. I made sure that bastard burned."
"The Oracle told me that I would have to chose between my life and yours, Morpheus. That you would sacrifice yourself to save me and I could either chose to save you or not." Neo continued. "So Trinity and I jacked into the Matrix again to save you. The rest you all know."
"What happened during your fight with Smith?" Morpheus asked. "Your monitors said that you'd died. But how can that be if you're alive and well today?"
"I did die." Said Neo, feeling his cheeks redden. "But then I came back to life."
"That's impossible! How?" Questioned Tank.
"Trinity." Neo said simply, his face now burning red. "S-She told me that the Oracle-"
"She told you what the Oracle said!?" Tank exclaimed in disbelief.
"How do you know about that?" Morpheus asked sternly, giving Tank a serious look.
"She told Switch and I once." Tank shrugged, catching the dark look in Neo's eyes. "Hey, don't worry, I didn't tell anyone else. Trinity would have flattened me if I did. I don't think she even meant to tell me. It was just one of those things that....slipped out."
Neo was feeling a little put out. I didn't know she'd told anyone else about her prophecy...
"Then what happened, Neo?" Morpheus asked, putting an end to Tank's ramblings.
"She brought me back to life." Neo said, smiling at the pleasant memory. "I knew I had something to fight for....something to live for. I came back to life, realized I was the One and deleted one of the Agents. Trinity unplugged me just before the E.M.P was triggered. I arrived back in the real world and....well, you saw what happened next."
The room filled with a stunned silence. Neo shifted uncomfortably in his bed, his face still tinged with embarrassment, not at all used to having his personal life invaded by two other fully grown men. Morpheus was standing rigidly in the doorframe, unable to believe so many complex and life-changing events could occur in one day.
"They won't believe us." Tank shook his head, his eyes wide with disbelief.
"Who won't?" Neo asked naively.
"The Council." Morpheus explained. "A group of people in charge of running Zion and all who live there. When we arrive in an almost completely destroyed ship with only four living crewmembers, they're bound to demand an explanation."
"Oh." Neo mumbled, his face downcast. So now I have to share my personal life with complete strangers as well?
"You won't have to speak unless you are addressed." Morpheus comforted, seeing the look on Neo's face. "And if you are, just tell them what you told me."
"Right." Neo replied. Sure, that'll be easy.
"Get some rest." Morpheus instructed, looking between both crewmembers. "Both of you. The sooner you're able to assist Trinity and I in repairing the ship, the sooner we can get to Zion."
Morpheus left, leaving the door open, to think things over. It was almost as if he'd left the door open thinking Tank would follow him out, yet Tank made no effort to stand, fixing Neo with a penetrating stare.
"Is something wrong?" Neo asked quietly, watching Tank with concern.
Tank-who had been, in fact, staring absent mindedly into space-shook himself back into reality again. "Just thinking. You know, it's hard to believe that so much can change in one day. I mean, this time two days ago, things were different. A lot different. It's funny when you think about it....that your whole life could change in the blink of an eye."
Tell me about it. Neo mentally noted, thinking of his own unplugging. Yet he knew this wasn't the sort of thing Tank was talking about. He was talking about Dozer.
"I'm sorry, Tank." Neo uttered in deepest sympathy, his head bowed in sadness. Although he had never lost anyone so close to him, he could just imagine the unbelievable sensation of grief he would feel if he lost Trinity. At the same time, he had to marvel at Tank's ability to be as positive and fun-loving as ever. For someone who had just lost an older brother, he was doing a damn good job at keeping his emotions under control.
"Don't be." Tank said with a shake of his head. "I'm no stranger to grief. My mother died just after my little sister was born. Then my dad went into a state of depression, and died two years later. We were raised as orphans with the other unplugged children."
"God, that's awful." Neo sighed. "I honestly don't know what to say."
"You don't need to say anything." Tank put on a brave smile. There was a long and silent pause, before Tank's smile transformed into an evil grin as she changed the subject. "So what's happenin' with you and Trinity?"
"Nothing." Neo answered truthfully, subconsciously noticing his pulse quicken. It was the second time in an hour that he had to publicly speak about his relationship with Trinity and he was growing increasingly uncomfortable with it.
I'm not even sure what to call our relationship, anyway. What do you call a relationship that involves a confession of love, one kiss, and several following awkward moments?
"Just give her time." Tank reasoned. "Remember, she's lost a whole lot of important people too. She'll need to recover from that first."
"You know, what I can't understand." Neo pondered, speaking more to himself than to Tank. "Is how she could have known I was back in the real world when she unplugged me. I mean, my eyes were still shut and she wasn't standing anywhere near the Matrix code, so how could she have known?"
"Because she's connected to you deeply." Tank answered mockfully, using hand gestures to stress his point and causing Neo to laugh. "Gee, I don't know. I think you're asking the wrong person. Why don't you ask her? You know....talk it over."
"So I take it you're an expert on this sort of thing?" Neo said sarcastically, however Tank took the question seriously.
"Who do you think helped Switch and Apoc get together?" Tank replied. "Or hooked my little sister up with her current husband? Trust me, Neo, I've been dealing with this sort of thing ever since Dozer got married."
"Dozer's married?"
"Was married." Tank corrected. "With two kids. A son and a daughter."
Neo sat in silence, unsure of what to say. Just thinking about Dozer's widow and their two children made his heart clench in his chest. It looked as if life just became harder for three more people....and the saddest thing was that this sort of thing happened to people everyday, in both the real world and the Matrix. Again, the image of a dying Trinity flashed into his mind, filling his entire being with sorrow and depression. He could now see why Tank's father died of depression after the death of his wife.
"I'm gonna get some rest." Said Tank, getting to his feet and moving towards the door as he spoke. "I suggest you do the same. And remember what I said about Trinity."
"Yeah." Neo replied with a smile. "See you, Tank."
Talk to Trinity about love? His stomach bubbled at the very idea. But he knew this was something he couldn't avoid. Sooner or later, we're going to have to talk about it...
"What are you so worried about, anyway?" He asked himself angrily. "You love her and she loves you. You could talk to her before, so you should be able to talk to her now....right?"
Sighing heavily, he lay back down in his bed and awaited sleep that wouldn't come.
(o)
Trinity couldn't remember a time where she'd felt more exhausted in her life as she made her way to Neo's room with a tray of food. After working on repairing the ship all day (and gaining several light bruises and a headache in doing so), she felt she deserved a decent night's sleep. However, she knew she couldn't until she knew that Neo was in good health. So she decided to make tending to him her first priority.
She reached his door and pulled it open with a gentle creak. Hearing the sound, Neo sat up instantly in his bed as if he'd been expecting her and had been lying awake in waiting. Trinity couldn't help notice how good he looked in his bedraggled and groggy state, his eyes bleary with sleep, and how well he smelt even after three showerless days. But what she noticed the most was how much she loved him, and how she'd love to be able to tell him so again, again and again. But doing so had proven to be her greatest fear. Pushing these thoughts and feelings to the back of her mind, she stepped into his room and shut the door behind her, crossing the floor to reach the bed.
"How are you feeling?" She questioned, keeping her tone level and calm as she handed him the tray.
"Better." Neo admitted, running a hand across a scab forming on his bare chest. "Some of the bullet wounds are starting to heal over. And the bruises only hurt if I bump them."
"Good." Trinity replied with a smile. My God, he can heal faster than anyone I've ever known!
She's so beautiful when she smiles. Neo thought to himself. Although she was clearly dirty, work-worn and exhausted, he still considered Trinity to be the most gorgeous thing he'd ever seen in both the Matrix and the real world.
He'd been spending some time lying awake in his room after Tank left thinking of how he could talk to her. But now that he saw her in person, he found that he'd completely lost his nerve. He took his spoon in his hand silently and began to eat, watching as Trinity moved back against the opposite wall, folding her arms across her stomach and watching him silently. As he ate, Neo gradually summed up enough courage to confront her so that by the time he'd finished eating, he was ready to speak.
"Trinity," Neo began, rubbing the back of his head with his head. Trinity had come to know this as the way he expressed nervousness. "I thought maybe we should, you know....talk things over."
Trinity's eyes widened in shock. She hadn't expected him to want to as she had gathered that he was a timid person by nature, and therefore would find it hard to talk about their relationship so openly. But they couldn't continue to live in this awkwardness forever; either too shy, too proud or both to even mention the word love to the other. She knew the moment she kissed him that she would need to adapt to things, learn to be less of a warrior and more of a woman. She also knew just how hard it was going to be, after so many years of leading a loveless life.
Trinity's silence only made Neo's desire to talk with her stronger, but he wouldn't do it without her consent. Finding the strength to look her directly in the eye, he could see emotions of fear and uncomfort masked by the ice blue prison and realized, much to his delight, that she felt just the same way he did about the whole affair.
"I know, it's really uncomfortable, huh?" Neo said with a kind smile, causing Trinity to relax and smile tightly too. "But I kind of feel like....we have to."
Trinity nodded, glad to see he agreed with her. He's right. Sooner of later, someone would have had to bring it up. I'm just relieved that it was him and not me who had to.
Crossing the room, she timidly perched on the edge of the double bed, her body quivering with fear. "Where do you want to start?"
Neo rolled onto his side to face her, propping his elbow up on the bed and using his hand to support his head. "I don't know." He said with a shrug. "Why don't we just....go over everything first?"
"All right." Trinity said, her voice untouched by emotion.
"I died." Neo stated simply, yet seriously, fixing her with a hard stare.
"Yes." Trinity agreed, turning her head to look over her shoulder and watch him, still with her arms folded across her stomach.
"But you brought me back." Neo continued. "As the One."
"Yes." Trinity repeated herself. She felt as if he wanted her to say something else, but all she could think of doing was agreeing with him.
"You told me." He began, but had to pause before he continued, lowering his voice to a whisper. "....you told me....you told me that the Oracle told you you'd fall in love with the One, and that you were in love with me."
Trinity felt her cheeks burn at the memory. She closed her eyes, turning away from him to tilt her head downwards. She could feel Neo's eyes on her neck, see an image of him clearly in her mind. She could see him blushing, but also eagerly awaiting a reply. The reply she so yearned to give him.
Say it, say it, say it. She willed herself, but the word choked in her throat and stuck there. She struggled to bring the word to her lips, but it just wouldn't come.
"Trinity, please say something." Neo begged her. There was only silence in reply, and Trinity remained as still as a statue.
"Yes." She finally managed to choke out. She let her eyes open, but wouldn't look at him, pretending to find her lap much more interesting.
"D-Do you still feel the same way?" He stuttered embarrassedly.
"Yes." She whispered, finding that she was able to reply much quicker than before, but still not instantly. Of course I fell the same way! It isn't as if you can fall out of love with someone. Especially not when Neo is involved.
"Well, I honestly don't know what to say now." Neo said truthfully, rubbing the back of his head again.
"Then why don't you answer me this?" She began, speaking much fiercer than before- just as harshly as she had addressed him when he told her she couldn't jack into the Matrix with him to save Morpheus. She turned to face him, but immediately realized it was a mistake. The sight of him lying there amongst the tangled blankets with his bare chest exposed, his dark eyes shining brilliantly, almost caused her to forget what she meant to say. "Do you love me? Or were you just kissing me because I was kissing you back?"
She's still unsure if I love her or not? It must have been hard for her to admit it to me, then. The least I can do is do the same for her.
"I love you, Trinity." He said as shyly as a love-struck schoolboy. He didn't think she'd believe him, but perhaps the tone in his voice mixed with the love in his eyes was enough to convince her because a smile crept onto her face.
"Why?" She asked, her eyes wide as she shook her head. She didn't dare to believe it was real, even now when she'd kissed him, and heard him say it with his own lips It was the one thing she'd never be able to understand. "I-I'm not beautiful or talented or-"
"Hello? Wake up call!" Neo exclaimed, forgetting who he talked to at the incredibly absurd remark. "You can shoot cops, beat up almost anyone within an inch of their life, pilot a helicopter, motorbike and a hovercraft single handedly, run along the walls, hack into top secret computer systems, wield a sword, repair any electrical equipment, defy the laws of the Matrix, hide all your emotions and manage to look sexy at the same time. Have I left anything out?"
Trinity was silent, privately glowing with pride. I've really done all that? I guess I've never stopped to think about my accomplishments like that until now...always just saw it as part of the job...and he thinks I look sexy? Heh, yeah right. Although I must admit, it is flattering when Neo says it.
But her silence was only making Neo feel ashamed. Maybe I got a little too carried away. Maybe she didn't want me prying into her emotions and lifestyle like that. Damn, I should have known when it was time to back off.
"I can also perform a levitating kick no one else seems to be able to do." Trinity said with a downward grin, staring at her hands which were now folded in her lap.
"There you go." Neo answered, grinning too. "If that's not talent, then I don't know what is. And as for not being beautiful, well that's the stupidest thing I've ever heard." He began to loose his confidence as he added sheepishly. "Actually, when I first woke up in the real world and saw you standing over me, I thought you were an angel."
"Really?" She said, almost playfully, raising a single eyebrow and looking at him in interest.
"A dark angel to be more exact." He continued, feeling as if he'd explode with embarrassment at emitting his private thoughts.
"I used to watch you sleep." Trinity admitted, despite her own embarrassment. He told me something private. It's only fair I do the same.
"But your beauty and you talents aren't the reasons why I love you." Neo continued, smiling at the corniness and VERY un-Trinity like statement she'd just made coupled with the one he was about to add. "I love you because you're Trinity."
"Neo..." She whispered, feeling her eyes fill with tears. No one had ever treated her this way before...no one had ever been able to make her feel so good about herself....make her proud to be who she was. He almost made her feel beautiful and talented....like she was someone special and important. But he didn't just love her because of this. He loved her because she was herself.
"Trinity," He whispered, turning away from her because he knew that if he looked at her, he wouldn't be able to say what he truly wanted to tell her. "Remember when we first met? In that club....when you were wearing that dress?"
Trinity let out a breath of laughter, smiling to herself as she watched him, eager to hear what else he had to say. "I-I was trying to leave an impression...."
"It worked. You looked amazing...but you looked even more beautiful in the real world. That's why I thought you were an angel when I first woke up and saw you. I don't know....I guess I just couldn't help being amazed by the very idea that someone like you could exist."
"Is that when you first fell in love with me?" She asked quietly.
Neo turned to face her, regret shining in his eyes. "Sorry to tell you, but it wasn't love at first sight. I didn't realize I loved you until....until yesterday, when we were standing on top of that government rooftop after I saved you from that helicopter crash. Before that, I guess I was just attracted to you....it was then that I realized that I was in love with you." He paused to watch her and savor the expression on her face and make his words sink in before he continued with a question. "What about you? When did you first fall in love with me?"
"Now that's a hard question..." Trinity began, thinking carefully as she watched him. "I was always attracted to you....always hoped you'd be the One. B-but I was afraid that you wouldn't be the One, and then I couldn't love you. Or that I would love you for your title, and not because you were you. I-I guess I realized that I loved you...admitted it to myself when I was having that phone conversation with Cypher." Neo didn't fail to notice the way her hands clenched into fists at the name. "Neo, I-I was so afraid you would die. Then Cypher asked me if I believed you were the One. I took one look at you and knew my answer."
Neo frowned, coaxing his head to the side. He knew how hard it must have been for her to deal with all these different emotions and feelings. It felt strange to pity someone like Trinity....who seemingly had everything anyone could want. "It must have been hell for you. I-I'm sorry."
"You couldn't have known." She replied, smiling kindly. Me? Smiling kindly? "God, this is going to take some getting used to." She muttered more to herself than to him. "I'm sorry....I-I've never been with anyone before."
"Really?" He asked in disbelief. Surely, someone like Trinity would have had to have had her share of relationships in the past. "Not even in the Matrix?"
She could literally feel the amazement and disbelief radiating off his voice. "No. Never. There's been a few who've wanted to be with me, but those who admit it end up without the use of their genitals." She paused while he laughed. "What about you?"
"Well, people don't often want to go out with computer nerds like me. But I did have a girlfriend. Just once." Neo admitted. He saw her eyes cloud with darkness and hurriedly added. "I was five, and she was seven- the most beautiful girl in primary school. But nothing like you, of course." He paused while Trinity laughed. "All the guys wanted her...on the first day of kindergarten, we all had a huge fight over her. And would you believe that the computer nerd actually one? Ok, I got bruised up pretty bad, but it was worth it. Then I got chicken pocks and was off school for two weeks. When I came back, she was going out with I guy in grade three and you know...I couldn't compete with that so-"
"Just shut up." She whispered, cutting him off. She found her body moving automatically and did not try to stop it, knowing he wouldn't object as she moved a hand behind his head. Indeed, Neo only put his hand behind her head in return, pulling her closer until she locked lips with his own.
Their lips slid together in a kiss that was soft and timid at first, each unsure of the other's intentions. But as they gradually became more accustomed to the feel of each other's lips, the intensity increased and the kiss was laced with passion, and they pulled away only for a few seconds at a time to take in much needed air.
As it was when a program was loaded into her mind, Trinity found she knew what to do by instinct, and her body moved without her head telling it to. His lips felt wet....so soft....so right....she never wanted to stop kissing him ever again. In between kissing him, she let her tongue slip from behind her mouth and trace his bottom lip. As she did this, Neo's arm (the one stabilizing his head) collapsed and he fell back onto the pillows, pulling her with him.
Trinity smiled against his lips, moving so she had one leg on either side of him. She broke away to remove the hand she still had behind his head, which was making things rather uncomfortable for both. She bent to kiss him again, feeling his hand move from the back of her head, down her back and to her waist, settling on her hip.
In truth, Neo had never kissed anyone like this before. Part of him was still in shock, but the other part was enjoying it and never wanted it to end. It was on a rare occasion that Trinity would forget where she was, or what she was meant to be doing and throw her rational mind out the window. He wanted to make the best of the situation, and let his body take control and his mind sit back and watch.
Suddenly, the door was pulled open without warning with a loud sound of squeaking metal. With a gasp of surprise Neo felt more than heard, Trinity rolled off him, allowing him to sit up.
Both met eyes with a very surprised- but also very amused -Tank, watching them from the doorframe. Trinity scowled more to herself than the newcomer as she scrambled off the bed.
God, how could I let that happen? I completely forgot where I was, who could of found us, what I was supposed to be doing and everything else! I wish Neo didn't have that effect on me...to cause me to think so irrationally so easily.
"So this is what you call talking it over?" Tank asked Neo sarcastically with a sly grin. "What did I tell you, Neo? I'm great with this love stuff! This morning you were too scared to even talk to her, and just look at the two of you now!"
He burst into a fit of laughter, and Trinity clenched her hands into fists, swelling with anger.
"Piss off, Tank." She commanded, and Tank obeyed, skipping off down the corridor and laughing himself stupid.
Once he was gone, Trinity was a mixture of emotion. Angry at Tank and at herself because she allowed him to burst in on them, frustrated because she had been 'interrupted', embarrassed because of what had just happened, and ashamed with herself for putting Neo in such an awkward situation.
"Awkward moment, awkward moment, awkward moment." Neo muttered with a smile, causing Trinity to laugh.
"I should go." She sighed. "I'm pretty tired."
"I'll help you and Morpheus repair the ship tomorrow." Neo stated firmly, then added slyly. "If I'm good enough for that kind of thing, then I'm good enough to work."
"No, you still need to rest." Trinity reasoned. Neo only grumbled, realizing that starting an argument with Trinity was pointless. Seeing this act of frustration, she knelt beside the bed and tenderly pecked him on the cheek sympathetically. He perked up almost instantly.
"Just a few more days." She compromised. She knew what it felt like to be useless, but she also knew what it felt like to think you can do something and then collapse with exhaustion just when you realize you can't. "I'll bring you some more food tomorrow, and the dressing for the bullet wounds. See you then."
Standing and not bothering to collect the food tray to take back to the Mess Hall (figuring she could do so the following morning), Trinity returned to her own room and the coldness that always accompanied a lonely sleep.
Neo turned off the lights to his room, feeling depressed and frustrated at being 'interrupted' by Tank, and the promise of spending another day lying around and feeling useless. But as he finally began to relax, he had to let a smile creep onto his face.
Tank was right. Talking things over sure does help...
(o)
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