Prologue:
Once in a lifetime, you are given a chance to choose between throwing in the towel, and to keep on going. Some people will choose to throw in the towel. Others- won't. No other reason why than because they won't accept the end. Neo, battle scarred, is one of those. Knowing he could choose to lie on that metal grate in 01 for the rest of his life, or go home and try to live, Neo chose to live- no matter the pain or emptiness he would endure. The story, "Where Do We Go From Here?" begins at this choice.
~~*~~
Neo lifted his head slightly, pain swirling around his consciousness. Turning on his side to push himself into a standing position, Neo felt the platform he was lying on slow to a stop.
"Bring me back to the Logos." Neo commanded. If it moved, something must be able to hear him. Feeling the platform shift and start moving in another direction, Neo kneeled down, holding his head in his hands.
Moments later, the platform again stopped and Neo climbed off, his hand grasping nothing but air. Jumping in shock as a sentinel claw gripped his wrist, he relaxed as he felt it slowly move his hand until he felt the ship against his palm. Moving inside slowly, Neo clutched to the walls for support. He could hear the sentinel following him, almost as if it was making sure he'd make it. Finding the ladder, Neo climbed up the fifteen rungs- the amount he counted when he left- to get into the cockpit.
Stepping off the ladder, Neo froze upon touching the doorway. He was afraid to go in. He knew that the only way he'd find the seat was by crawling on the floor so that he didn't trip, and if he crawled on the floor, he'd find... ~No. I will not think about that. ~ Shaking his mind of the thoughts, Neo kneeled down anyway. Crawling not more than a foot into the small room, his hand came upon Trinity's arm. Recoiling in pain and shock, Neo fell back on his butt. ~She's dead, there's nothing I can do to...wait. ~
Recalling his conversation with the Oracle, Neo remembered that she had said that his powers as the One spread out into the real world. That was why he could stop the sentinels and the bombs. But, that also meant- if he brought Trinity back to life in the Matrix... Could he do it here?
"Help me get these out of her. Be gentle." Neo spoke quietly, knowing the sentinel, still hovering and watching him, would listen.
So the man and machine worked together to pull the rods out of Trinity that they could, and then Neo, with most of the work being done by the sentinel, pulled her body up and away from the rods that couldn't be moved. Laying her on the floor, Neo moved his hands over her chest. Placing his hand over her heart, Neo began to concentrate on making her heart pump, healing the wounds, and warming her body. Neo stayed in that position for God knows how long before collapsing on top of her, crying tears that could never be shed.
Suddenly, the sentinel reared back screeching. Neo jumped up in shock, moving his head to listen. But his ears wouldn't give him an answer, but a warmth against his leg did. Neo moved his hand over the warmth, and gasped.
"I was supposed to die." A quiet whisper stated.
"I would've died without you." Neo replied, his other hand touching her face gently.
"Everyone dies when their time comes, Neo. My time came. You have to be able to let me go." Trinity rasped.
"You want to be dead right now?" Neo asked, cocking his head to one side. He could almost see her face from the sound her breathing was making. As if the sound waves were reverberating off of all objects to let him see.
Trinity paused before responding, "I don't have much choice now, do I?"
~~~~~~
Okay, the first chapter is done. A little short, I know, but I want it that way right now. What do you think? I know a lot of people are going to yell because they should both be dead, but, hey, I couldn't write an interesting fic if they went to heaven.
Once in a lifetime, you are given a chance to choose between throwing in the towel, and to keep on going. Some people will choose to throw in the towel. Others- won't. No other reason why than because they won't accept the end. Neo, battle scarred, is one of those. Knowing he could choose to lie on that metal grate in 01 for the rest of his life, or go home and try to live, Neo chose to live- no matter the pain or emptiness he would endure. The story, "Where Do We Go From Here?" begins at this choice.
~~*~~
Neo lifted his head slightly, pain swirling around his consciousness. Turning on his side to push himself into a standing position, Neo felt the platform he was lying on slow to a stop.
"Bring me back to the Logos." Neo commanded. If it moved, something must be able to hear him. Feeling the platform shift and start moving in another direction, Neo kneeled down, holding his head in his hands.
Moments later, the platform again stopped and Neo climbed off, his hand grasping nothing but air. Jumping in shock as a sentinel claw gripped his wrist, he relaxed as he felt it slowly move his hand until he felt the ship against his palm. Moving inside slowly, Neo clutched to the walls for support. He could hear the sentinel following him, almost as if it was making sure he'd make it. Finding the ladder, Neo climbed up the fifteen rungs- the amount he counted when he left- to get into the cockpit.
Stepping off the ladder, Neo froze upon touching the doorway. He was afraid to go in. He knew that the only way he'd find the seat was by crawling on the floor so that he didn't trip, and if he crawled on the floor, he'd find... ~No. I will not think about that. ~ Shaking his mind of the thoughts, Neo kneeled down anyway. Crawling not more than a foot into the small room, his hand came upon Trinity's arm. Recoiling in pain and shock, Neo fell back on his butt. ~She's dead, there's nothing I can do to...wait. ~
Recalling his conversation with the Oracle, Neo remembered that she had said that his powers as the One spread out into the real world. That was why he could stop the sentinels and the bombs. But, that also meant- if he brought Trinity back to life in the Matrix... Could he do it here?
"Help me get these out of her. Be gentle." Neo spoke quietly, knowing the sentinel, still hovering and watching him, would listen.
So the man and machine worked together to pull the rods out of Trinity that they could, and then Neo, with most of the work being done by the sentinel, pulled her body up and away from the rods that couldn't be moved. Laying her on the floor, Neo moved his hands over her chest. Placing his hand over her heart, Neo began to concentrate on making her heart pump, healing the wounds, and warming her body. Neo stayed in that position for God knows how long before collapsing on top of her, crying tears that could never be shed.
Suddenly, the sentinel reared back screeching. Neo jumped up in shock, moving his head to listen. But his ears wouldn't give him an answer, but a warmth against his leg did. Neo moved his hand over the warmth, and gasped.
"I was supposed to die." A quiet whisper stated.
"I would've died without you." Neo replied, his other hand touching her face gently.
"Everyone dies when their time comes, Neo. My time came. You have to be able to let me go." Trinity rasped.
"You want to be dead right now?" Neo asked, cocking his head to one side. He could almost see her face from the sound her breathing was making. As if the sound waves were reverberating off of all objects to let him see.
Trinity paused before responding, "I don't have much choice now, do I?"
~~~~~~
Okay, the first chapter is done. A little short, I know, but I want it that way right now. What do you think? I know a lot of people are going to yell because they should both be dead, but, hey, I couldn't write an interesting fic if they went to heaven.