CHAPTER FOUR

Usually attentive, Neo could not focus on anything Niobe and Morpheus were saying. From time to time, he caught a snippet of 'sentinels' and 'moving in' and 'problems in the mainframe' along with the occasional 'shit' coming from Dozer. But he did not understand the context nor the true message. He was too worried about Trinity.

He held her hand the entire time, something she was grateful for. They never usually showed affection for one another around the other stuff, but today Neo did not care. He fiercely wanted to, had to, protect her. He was desperate to learn what was upsetting her. But the meeting did not appear to be brief. Niobe had unravelled various diagrams and maps to present, and she was insistent that they all stand and listen and contribute to the discussion. Lately she was becoming more and more dominant in the Matrix context. Morpheus seemed spellbound, and almost enjoyed handing over this authority to her. None of the others minded, of course. Except now. Neo just wanted them to all disappear, to dissolve away, in order that he could speak with Trinity - alone, without interruption.

Every so often, another tear slipped down Trinity's cheek and, discreetly, Neo would wipe it away with his thumb and wrap his arms tightly around her shoulders. She seemed so small and so vulnerable today. Not at all like the usually razor-sharp, discerning, strong and no-nonsense Trinity he knew, or the gentle, kind and patient woman he knew behind closed doors, away from the horrors of the Matrix. She was quite pale, and he prayed that she was not ill. That was all he could imagine it to be. That she was terribly sick, or....dying. The word seemed poisonous, even in his mind. If that was the truth, how could he cope? He answered his question immediately after he asked it. I couldn't, he realised. I could not live a day without her.

Unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately, Trinity's occasional tears seemed to go unnoticed by the rest of the crew. Even Niobe, a generally perceptive woman, lurched ahead and described every inch of her plan to bring an end to the matrix. Morpheus, the unofficially appointed 'second-in-command' was occupied both accessory to Niobe's lecture and fervent admirer. These days it was difficult to miss the romantic tension shared between he and Niobe; it could almost be sliced with a knife. Dozer was deep in thought, and Cass was busy analysing the diagrams. It seemed that, today at least, everybody had turned off their abilities to perceive emotions around them.

After what seemed like hours and hours, Niobe dismissed the crew, and rolled up all the papers. Neo took the opportunity to grab Trinity by the hand and lead her back into her bedroom. He closed and bolted the doors, insistent that they not be interrupted again. He sat in front of her, as she curled up, knees hugged to her chest, on top of the quilt. He stroked her face delicately and planted a soft kiss on her lips.

'Now,' he said quietly, 'what is it you want to tell me?'

Trinity lowered her head, grabbed a tissue, and furiously blew her nose. She seemed determined to avoid answering the question. 'It's hard,' she said. 'It's not the kind of thing I can say aloud. Damnit, I wish I didn't have to do this.'

'Come on,' he insisted gently. 'I need to know. You'll feel better once you tell me.'

She took a long time to reply. 'Well...' she said. 'I...' She could not continue. Fresh tears tumbled down her cheeks, and she took a deep breath as a stream of incomprehensible sounds and words tumbled from her mouth.

He clasped her hand in his, tightly; so tightly, in fact, that his knuckles seemed to go white. 'Trin, I'm here to stay, whether you like it or not. No matter what you say, no matter what you do, that won't change. I'm always here for you, no matter what. And,' he finished, 'I will always go each day loving you more and more than the one before.'

He saw a smile peek out from behind her tears. 'Well,' she said. 'Something has happened to me.'

Fear gripped his stomach. Neo said, 'You're not sick, are you? Please tell me you aren't sick, please!'

'I'm not sick.'

Neo exhaled. 'Thank God,' he whispered, kissing her again. 'I was so worried. I couldn't think of what could possibly be wrong.'

'Well,' she repeat, 'something happened to me. Something I was never expecting and something I never thought about.'

Neo racked his brain for ideas. Maybe it was a female thing? He knew vaguely about periods. Perhaps that's what it was. 'Did you get your period or something?'

'No,' she said.

'Well, that's okay then.'

'Neo, that's thing. I didn't get my period.'

Neo shrugged. 'So what's so bad about -' Realisation suddenly set in. 'You mean you didn't get it?'

She shook her head. 'No.'

'You're not...you're not...'

Trinity burst into tears again. 'Neo, I'm pregnant.'