A/N: Once again, I would first like to thank everyone for their amazing reviews and support! Seriously, you don't know how much it all means to me. Sometimes, coming home in the afternoons to check my reviews is the one thing I have to look forward to in the day. Without these reviews, I probably would have given up writing altogether a long time ago. THANK YOU!
Also, I would like to thank everyone who helped to answer the question I asked in my last A/N. I got some really awesome responses.
It is clear to me from everyone's reviews that Neo is going to tell Trinity about how Vivianna kissed him. An extra special thank you to 3nity for sending me an email filled with some fantastic ideas. I am still not sure how I am going to get the information out, but it will definitely be revealed to Trinity in the next chapter. If anyone has further suggestions on how Neo should tell Trinity, then please let me know either in a review or an email – thanks!
37
Neo cautiously approached the red steel front door of Lorena's room, and stood there in awkward silence for a moment. He had been trying to think of the best way to approach her on the way over, but still had no idea of what he was going to say. How could he just burst into the place unexpectedly and say something like 'Hey Lorena, I know about what's been going on. I'm going to help you.'?
He shifted uncomfortably on the spot as several people shot him doubtful glances. Clearly, Lorena lived in an area of Zion that was not supportive of the prophecy. Not wanting to spend a moment longer waiting around outside, he knocked sharply on Lorena's door. When no one answered, he knocked again impatiently. Finally, the door opened an inch, and two large, glittering emerald green eyes peered out at him through the shadowy darkness of the room beyond. The eyes widened in realization, then fixed him with a narrow, skeptical look.
"It's Neo." He told her as calmly as he could. "I just want to talk to you for a minute, if that's okay."
Lorena didn't make a sound, but opened the door a little wider so that he could see her properly. O thing instantly became clear to Neo: Lorena was ill. She was even paler than usual, and there were thick, dark circles around her huge eyes. Her unkempt, long blonde hair fell to her waist in a unruly mess of curls. Her entire appearance was disheveled and feeble.
Lorena pulled the door open further and allowed him to step into the room. She glanced warily into the street as if she was half-expecting someone else to be right behind him, then hurriedly snapped the door shut and tightened the wheel that would lock it. Meanwhile, Neo gazed around the tiny room. It was much smaller than Trinity's, and he could tell even in the dim light from a group of nearby candles that it was also a lot shabbier. There was a single bed pressed up against the far wall, but Lorena obviously refused to use this, for she had made herself another bed in the opposite corner of the room out of old, tattered sheets. The tiny kitchenette looked as though it hadn't been used in a long time, and the rickety table and chairs in the middle of the room was so unstable that Neo thought it may collapse at any minute. He couldn't believe that anyone – especially a sixteen year old girl – could actually live like this. It was wrong, and it had to be stopped.
"Lorena, why aren't you at the academy?" Neo asked her curiously. "Trinity told me that it was illegal for anyone under the age of sixteen to – "
"I'm on leave. I have been for last year." Lorena replied sharply in her strange, eerie tone. "After my father died, everyone seemed to think I just needed a break. They told me I could live here until I was ready to go back. But I can never go back now. I can't do anything 'normal'."
"Vivianna…" he paused for a sharp intake of breath. The mere mention of her name reminded him of how she felt about him. But he hastily pushed this all aside, reminding himself that now was not the time to worry about his own personal life. "…told me about what's been happening."
Lorena would not meet his gaze, but kept her large eyes fixed firmly on the floor, her arms folded defiantly across her chest. Neo eyed her uncertainly, wondering what was going through her troubled mind. The last thing he expected when she eventually looked at him again was to see anger in her eyes.
"Why did you send her? Why did you send a stranger? You could have just come to me alone."
"I was going leave Zion, and I didn't know when I would be back. But I didn't want to abandon you, so I asked a friend of mine to check up on you." Neo swallowed, bracing himself for the worst. "Lorena, I need you to tell me what's been going on. I need you to tell me everything."
"No!" Lorena cried immediately, shaking her head in a violent protest. "I can't!"
"You have to." Neo urged her. "If you don't, then there's no way for me to help you."
"You can't help me. Even if you manage to stop him, it won't matter. He's torn away at me…shredded my insides. Now there's nothing left…" silvery tears were building in her eyes, and she was shaking uncontrollably. Neo felt a sharp pain in his chest when he realized just how much this had effected her. He reached out and gently placed a hand on her shoulder. Her skin was icy cold.
"Look at yourself, Lorena. You're sick, and you desperately need help. At least let me try to help you. At least tell me who it is so I can make it stop. I promise you that everything will be alright once you tell me what I need to know."
Lorena sniffed as the tears began to roll down her cheeks. Neo tightened his grip on her shoulder supportively, silently urging her to speak. Finally, she began to speak in a low voice, as if afraid that the walls themselves would overhear her.
"He doesn't come every night. He only comes when he feels like it. Sometimes, his visits are weeks apart, and other times, they're merely days. But when he does come, he always does the same things. He first approaches my door, and then he knocks really sharply. I put my hands over my ears and pretend not to hear him, hoping that he'll go away and leave me alone. But he always knows I'm in there. He calls out to me. He says that if I don't open the door now, he'll kill everyone I care about. So I get up and I open the door." She stopped short and sighed heavily. Neo had the impression that this was the first time she had told anyone this much.
"Keep going." He whispered to her comfortingly. Truthfully, he didn't want to hear the rest, but he knew that knowing the whole truth was the only way he could help her.
"Once he's inside, he locks the door behind him." She continued in a low murmur. "Then he takes off his c-clothes and tells me to do the same. He touches me, and makes me touch him. It hurts. It always hurts so much. Once he's done, he picks me up and carries me over to the bed." She turned to stare at the small bed in the corner and shuddered. "That's where he does it. In that bed. Sometimes, I try to fight him, but usually I don't. There's no point. He's so much stronger than me. His body is so heavy…and I'm so brittle. When he's had enough, he gets up and puts his clothes back on. He gives me the usual threats, and then he leaves me. He doesn't say when he'll be back again. He doesn't say anything else."
Neo could feel all the emotion closing in on him, the most prominent being rage, as well as something terrible…something beyond sadness or depression. Coupled with this was a sense of helplessness. Even though she had given him all this information, he could still do nothing to help her.
Lorena moved away from him silently and sat down in a chair. She took hold of the hem of her earth brown dress with trembling fingers and slowly pulled it up to reveal her upper-thighs, which were covered in huge, purple bruises. The sight of them made Neo wince as if he could feel the pain himself.
"Lorena, you have to tell me his name. I can't help you unless you tell me who he is."
"I don't know his name." Lorena said softly as she pulled her dress back down. "He never told me."
"Then can you give me a description? Anything?"
Lorena shook her head, tears foaming in her eyes once again. "I'm not supposed to tell anyone. He says he'll kill me and everyone else I know if I even speak a word. It was stupid of me to tell you! It was so stupid!"
"No, Lorena. It was right to tell me, because now I can protect you." Neo replied quickly, desperate for her to trust him. "I can make sure that it doesn't happen again."
"I don't need that kind of protection. It doesn't matter now…everything has been taken away from me. I have nothing left?"
"Then why did you come to me in the first place?" He erupted with frustration, then immediately wished he could take back his words. The last thing he wanted was for her to turn away from him. "Not that it was the wrong thing to do…"
Lorena stared at him through tear-stained eyes, then lowered her gaze to the ground once more, as if ashamed of what she was about to say. "When I found out you were the One, I thought you could use your powers on me…make me forget everything I have suffered through. Make me go back to being normal."
"Lorena…" Neo trailed away, unable to tell her that he was as powerless to help her as anyone else. "I can't make you forget."
"See? Then you're no help to me!" She shouted, her voice filled with anger. "Go!"
"I can help you, Lorena. Just not in the way you expected. You have to tell me more about this guy. Anything you know…anything I can use to find him."
"I can't!" Lorena sobbed. "I can't, and I won't."
"You have to. You trusted in me enough to tell me everything you have so far. You believe I'm the One, so you must have faith in me. You need to believe that I can protect you."
Lorena fixed him with a long, hard stare. For a while, Neo was hopeful that she may have given in to him. She opened her mouth to speak, but changed her mind and then turned her back on him completely.
"Leave now." She whispered
"I won't leave until you tell me something more about him."
"I've told you enough. Now go away!"
Realizing that he could get nothing out of her, Neo decided to leave. It was almost time for Tank's funeral, and he didn't wan to be late. He left Lorena with the promise of returning and headed back to he and Trinity's room.
(o)
The temple was almost completely full. It seemed as if Tank had touched the lives of more people than Neo had first expected. Each and every one of the people in the small temple cared enough about Tank to want to be at his funeral…to bid him a final goodbye.
Trinity stood close to Neo and surveyed the small crowd. Most of the faces were familiar, but there were some people she did not recognize. She briefly wondered how Tank had been connected to these people, but did not dwell on this for too long. She was already running herself through her usual mental strategies for keeping her emotions in check. I will not cry…I will not cry…I will not cry…
By some miracle, she managed to make it through the entire ceremony without shedding a single tear. She knew if it had gone on any longer, she most certainly would have broken down. Glancing up at Neo, she could see that he wasn't far from breaking down either.
During the ceremony, Neo had been unable to take his eyes of the urn at the front of the room which held Tank's ashes. He couldn't get past the fact that this would be his last chance to look upon what remained of the man who had been his best friend. Once it was over, the urn would be taken away and all that would be left of Tank was the memory he held inside of him. And how long would those memories last?
After the ceremony was finished, large amounts of people began to approach Neo with the usual questions. He had noticed several people stealing glances at him throughout the ceremony, and it angered him greatly. They could ask him questions later. Now was supposed to be Tank's hour…the time in which they reflected on him, and not Neo. But nevertheless, he did his best to put on a straight face as numbers of people introduced themselves to him. All the while, Trinity remained at his side, giving him support without needing to say a word.
"Do you want to go and have a word with Tank's family?" Trinity murmured to him once the general excitement of seeing the One had subsided a little. "I'm sure they'd appreciate it."
Neo nodded, although what he really wanted to do was go back to his room with Trinity and stay there. But he knew that he still had other duties, and he wanted to make sure that Tank's family were coping okay. He pushed his way to the back of the temple, where Link, Zee, Cas and her two children were gathered together, all of them with tears streaming freely down their faces.
"Hey, Zee." Trinity said quietly. She knew that Zee would have been hurt the most. She and her brother had been incredibly close.
"Hi Trinity," Zee sniffed, nodding in the other woman's direction, and then her companion's. "Neo."
"Hey." Neo mumbled awkwardly. He honestly didn't know what to say. Should he tell Zee how much Tank had meant to him, or would that just sound pathetic? Tank had been Zee's older brother. Now she had lost both of her brothers, and in equally horrible ways. Out of everyone who had attended the funeral, she had probably been effected the most.
"You know what?" Zee continued after a long, uncomfortable silence. "I really wish I could believe you are the One, Neo. I wish it so much, because it means that you could destroy those damn sentinels that took my brother's life. But I can't believe you. I can't believe because if you really were the One, you would have saved Tank and Dozer."
Neo paled, and Trinity shot Zee a darkening look. "Neo did what he could, Zee. But some things are just meant to be this way. It was their time to go."
"I know." Zee sobbed. "It's just…I'm sorry…"
She fell back into her husbands arms and began to cry uncontrollably into his chest. Link wrapped his arms around her and gave Trinity and Neo an apologetic look.
"Sorry. She's just really emotional right now. We all are."
"I know." Neo said sympathetically, placing a hand gently on Link's shoulder. "We just came over to let you guys know that we're here if you need, you know, anything."
"Thanks, man." Link smiled sadly. "That really means a lot to us."
Trinity was about to say something more when she felt someone tap her shoulder and turned sharply to see a middle-aged woman with short, red hair and bright blue eyes smiling at her.
"Hey, Trinity." The woman said. "It certainly has been a while."
"Gina!" Trinity exclaimed in surprise. "What are you doing here?"
"My ship just docked this morning. I heard about what happened to your crew-member, so I decided to come along and pay my respects." Gina replied, now turning to face the rest of Tank's family with a sincere expression on her face. "I'm terribly sorry about Tank. I know what it's like to loose someone you love. This must be a horrible time for all of you."
"It is, but we're a strong bunch. We'll pull through. But thanks for your sympathy." Link answered, then turned to the rest of his family. "Maybe it's time we headed home. I'll catch you all later."
"So I take it this is Neo?" Gina said once the family had left, peering over Trinity's shoulder.
"That's right." Trinity shot a glance at Neo from over her shoulder, only to see him gawking back at Gina in utter disbelief. A puzzled expression graced her face, but she didn't say a word.
"The One himself. What an honor." Gina smiled as she held out her hand, which he took. "I've heard quite a few things about you."
"It's good to meet you." Neo replied, his voice slightly hoarse.
"I've been hearing rumors ever since I arrived in Zion. I can't wait to hear you make your speech tonight."
Neo swallowed, his face instantly turning a light shade of green. "I'm not really looking forward to it."
"Just pretend that the audience is in their underwear and I'm sure you'll do fine." Gina laughed.
"So how've you been, Gina?" Trinity asked her, taking the attention away from Neo when he blushed a little.
"Not bad." Gina shrugged, then smiled slyly. "I hear you're doing pretty well, Trinity. Rumor has it that you're getting involved with someone. Part of the reason why I came over here was to find out if it was true, and from what I can see, it is. The two of you look pretty comfortable with each other."
Trinity tried to fix the older woman with a menacing scowl, but couldn't stop the reddish hue from creeping into her cheeks.
"You're just like I remembered, Trinity." Gina grinned. "Well, I better let you go. I guess I'll see you around sometime. Nice meeting you Neo."
She was gone before either of them could reply. Neo stared after her, while Trinity merely sighed. "Gina was never really known for having good manners. Now let's get out of here before people start to bombard you with questions again."
"So that was Gina?" Neo asked as he hurried after Trinity down a busy street, doing his best to ignore any remarks or questioning glances people gave him. "The one who Cypher tried to – "
"Yes, that's right." Trinity cut in, then asked curiously, "Why are you so interested?"
"Because I think Gina is the woman I keep dreaming about." Neo lowered his voice as they passed a group of gawking teenagers. "The one I see dying."
Trinity froze and whirled around to face him, her eyes wide. "Are you sure it's the same person?"
"Positive." Neo answered with utmost sincerity. "There's no mistaking it."
"But Neo, you didn't know Gina until today. How is that possible?"
"I don't know. All I know is that it is definitely her." Neo waited for her to answer him, but all he received in reply was a doubtful look. "You don't believe me, do you?"
"Of course I believe you." Trinity replied truthfully. "I'm just wondering what this could mean. You've never seen Gina before today, and yet you've been watching her die repeatedly in your dreams for weeks. It doesn't make any sense."
"I know. I don't understand it either. The dreams started after Tank's death. I thought that it had something to do with the grief I was going through…that I was making up these disturbing visions in my subconscious or something. But then again, it didn't feel like a regular dream. It felt more real…like I was experiencing it myself. I could feel all of her emotions and everything."
"It's definitely something to worry about." Trinity answered musingly. "But we don't have time to think about it right now. You have to give a speech to the entire city in less than four hours!"
(o)
Neo stood at the very back of the main temple of Zion, hidden from view behind a large, stone wall. The distant murmurs of the excited crowd beyond filled his ears, only adding to his nausea. This would have to be the single most humiliating thing he would ever have to do in his life.
The whole city was there to watch him deliver this speech. Not one person had failed to turn up, including the non-believers. They were all expecting him to tell them how he planned to lead them into greatness, when really he had no idea how he was going to do it, let alone what he was going to say to them. Sure, he knew he was the One. There wasn't a doubt in his mind. But that didn't mean he had the answers to everything. How was he meant to explain everything he knew and felt inside him using only a few simple words that came off the top of his head? How was he supposed to convince all these people to believe in him, and what would happen if he didn't?
He was beginning to wish that he had taken the time to sit down and write a proper speech. He was minutes away from getting up on that large platform and addressing them and he still had no idea what to say. At least when he had been asked to give speeches before, he had been well-prepared. Without any notes to refer to, his fear of public-speaking had just doubled.
"Alright Neo, I'm going to go up to the platform and give you an introduction. Then it's your turn to give your speech." Councilor Hamman instructed him. "Are you ready?"
Neo automatically shook his head. Hamman's words made what was happening sound even more real. His legs felt so weak he didn't know if he'd be able to stay on his feet much longer. Trinity reached over and took his hand in hers, and Morpheus, who was standing behind him, rested his hand on Neo's shoulder comfortingly. But even their support wasn't enough for him, because he knew that even though they could help him, it all came down to him in the end. He was the One. He would have to make the speech. No one else could do it for him, which meant that he was now completely and utterly alone.
Councilor Hamman smiled at him kindly. "Just speak from the heart, Neo. You'll do fine."
He ascended the stone stairway to the main platform with an air of confidence and ease. Neo wondered how many times Hamman had to climb those stairs before he could be so calm. He wondered how many speeches he had to give before he could be as relaxed as Hamman was now.
"People of Zion!" Hamman's booming voice echoed all the way back down the stairway. The crowd beyond the wall instantly silenced. "The Council has asked that you gather here tonight so that we may be able to confirm the rumors that many of you may have heard. I can now safely say to you that yes, we do believe that at long last, the One has been found, and he is here to speak with you now!"
Oh God, Neo thought as a great cheer of approval rose up from the crowd, now I really am going to throw up.
"Some of those who are gathered here with us believe very strongly in the prophecy, and others do not." Hamman continued once the noise had died down. "Others are still unsure of what they believe. But no matter what your opinion of the One is, I ask all of you to see the man before you for who he is, and not what he is. I urge you to listen closely to everything he has to say, because I am sure that whatever it is, it will be something that is important to all of us..."
"I-I don't think I can do this." Neo stuttered as an involuntary shudder passed through him. He didn't have anything important to say to them. He didn't even know what he was going to say when he got up there anyway. And this wasn't just another stupid school debate or public-speaking contest his Matrix mother had forced him to do. What he said now could determine whether they believed in him or not. In a sense, it could determine the future of Zion.
"Yes you can, Neo." Morpheus replied sternly from behind him. "It's like what I always say to you. Don't think – know. If you believe you can do it, then you will be able to."
Neo nodded meekly. Although Morpheus's words helped a little, he was still doubtful. That rule only applied to the Matrix. This was the real world.
"And now, without further ado, I give you the One himself – Neo!" Hamman finished from the platform, and the crowd roared in anticipation.
Trinity could feel the tension radiating off him. She longed to be able to stand with him on the platform…to hold his hand and assure him that everything was alright. He always seemed to have more confidence and belief in himself when she was with him. But when it all came down to it, he was the only one who could do this, and he needed to do it alone.
"I know you can do it, Neo." She whispered in his ear. "I believe."
She tightened her grip on his hand before letting go. Neo took in a great gulp of air, silently begging himself not to vomit as he slowly began to walk up the stairs. He kept his eyes focused ahead of him and did not once look back, knowing that both Morpheus and Trinity were there to give him their support. As he reached the top of the stairs, he began to wonder whether he would actually be able to speak at all.
Councilor Hamman had moved back to the edge of the platform. Beyond him, Neo could see down into the room. He had never been in the main temple before, and could now see that it was much larger than the smaller ones on the upper levels. This temple could easily hold the entire city. Millions of people filled the cave, their cheers echoing off the stone walls. The sound was almost deafening. Neo didn't think he was capable of taking another step. He turned to Councilor Hamman, his dark eyes alive with pure terror. Hamman returned his stare with his own cool grey gaze, and Neo was suddenly reminded of the older man's advice to speak from the heart.
Suddenly, he was filled with an overwhelming sense of courage and self-pride that come from somewhere deep inside of him. The same feeling he had experienced only a few times before. He was the One, and he knew it. That should be more than enough to convince these people. He had defeated Agents and broken more laws of the Matrix than anyone else. What was a little speech to him?
Neo now approached the edge of the platform, and the crowd of people immediately fell silent. He could see them all clearly now, but he was no longer afraid. Only determined to make them all believe in him. Somehow, he now knew exactly what he needed to say.
"Hi." He began simply, his voice traveling through the whole of the silent cave. "As you already know, my name is Neo, and I am the One. You are all probably wondering why I am so sure of this, and the truth is that I honestly don't know. But I have this feeling…something buried deep inside of me that gives me courage and self-confidence. If it wasn't for that feeling, I wouldn't be able to stand here and speak to you today. I believe that it is this feeling that makes me the One, and not my other abilities. Those abilities may be present in the Matrix, where I am almost invincible. But here in the real world, I'm just Neo…just an ordinary human being, like the rest of you. But I still have the feeling in the real world, and that is what makes me special. I am sure that you all want to know how I plan to end the war. That is also something I still do not know the answer to. But I do know that when the time comes for me to act, I will be ready to fight. I will fight until the end for the sake of all of humanity, not just because I know that it is my destiny, but also because I know that what I am doing is right. I feel connected to all of you, and because of that I will do whatever it takes in order to protect you. I know that many of you still doubt me, and that's fine. Just have faith in the feeling – the spirit – inside of me. It has not led me awry so far."
A general murmur arose from the crowd when Neo paused. Most of them were now looking at him in perplexity, and wondering what he planned to say next. He smiled a little, then took a deep breath before he continued.
"Before I was unplugged, I was just an ordinary guy. Then, all of a sudden, I found out that it was up to me to bring freedom to the entire human race. This just goes to show that when all things seem hopeless, you must remember to believe. If we believe in ourselves, in all of humanity, and everything that I feel inside of me, then I know we can end this war, and that we can finally bring peace to our people. That's all I have to say to you. Thank you."
When he finished, the crowd began to cheer even louder than they had before. Some people were even chanting his name in union. As Neo stepped off the platform, he was instantly overcome with a rush of elation. That had been the hardest thing he ever had to do, and he had done it. Never before had he felt this invincible, or had this much faith in himself. They believed him…trusted him. Together, he knew that the human race could conquer any foe.
Morpheus and Trinity were waiting for him at the bottom of the stairs, both glowing with pride and admiration. Morpheus clamped him on the back and congratulated him again and again. For a moment, Neo even thought he saw tears in his captain's eyes. Councilor Hamman did not speak to Neo directly as he was about to address the people again, but exchanged a glance with him that told Neo all he needed to know.
While Neo was being congratulated by Morpheus, Trinity watched him in silence. Never before had she had more faith in the prophecy…more faith in him. Just listening to him speak had been inspiring to her, and she was more proud of him than she had ever been before. When he was finally done speaking to Morpheus, he approached her with a tiny smile on his face. Trinity grinned at him, and his smile broadened as he swept her into a tight embrace. At first, she gasped in surprise as she felt his arms wrap around her, but before she even realized what she was doing, she was hugging him back just as tightly. When they broke apart, he was beaming, and she knew her expression must have mirrored his own.
"You better get out there, Neo." Morpheus interrupted, a wide grin stretched across his face. "I'm sure there are thousands of people eager to talk to you."
Neo nodded, immediately taking Trinity's hand in his own. Ordinarily, he wouldn't have wanted to face the publicity, but right now he didn't think he'd mind being bombarded with questions or remarks. He looked at Trinity imploringly, unsure whether she would want to go with him or not. The expression he received in return answered the unvoiced question. Unable to keep the smile off his face, he clutched onto her hand even tighter, and side by side, they stepped out into the main area of the temple.
(o)
As always, thanks for reading, please review!