Chapter 8

Smith was being carried by his fellow Agent down the hall and into the medical room. Indigo followed. Once there, he was placed on a table. At that moment, Brown took off his tie and shirt revealing where the one of the twins had stabbed him.

"Why is he bleeding? I thought agents couldn't get hurt?" she asked through her tears.

"It's quite hard to explain." said Jones as he walked her out of the room, she was still shaking.

"I don't understand. I heard stories about you guys from way back during the days of Neo."

"That we could dodge bullets?"

"Yes."

"We used too ..." Jones paused, "and then after the battle between Smith and Neo. It was then that our programming had changed to make us more .... vulerable."

"You mean more like human?" she asked.

"Yes." was Jones' reply.

"But why?"

"You see Indigo, The Oracle and The Architect thought it would be best so that we can understand humans more .... especially if we were given their weaknesses as well as their strengths."

"So what does all this have to do with me? Why am I here?" she asked him.

"You're here for a reason. I can't tell what it is yet." he told her.

She looked back in the direction of Smith's room

"Is he going to be okay?"

"Yes, he will be fine." Jones reassured her.

"I hope so."

They walked through the lobby and entered the elevator doors. Jones pushed the button for Indigo's floor. As the elevator was making it's way to it's destination, the events played in Indigo's head over and over again. How she regretted going into room 303. Why didn't she listen to the other agents when they told her 303 was off limits. If her curiosity had not gotten the best of her, Smith would not be hurt. It was her fault that she ran away, and it was her fault that those twin bastards stabbed him for protecting her. Smith didn't have to protect her ... but he did. She didn't understand why he did, she also didn't understand why he was being so kind to her. Everything he did was uncharacteristic of the Smith that was described back in the days of Neo. This Smith was different, not the cold machine who hated all humans. This Smith was more like a protector. And most of all, this Smith bled. Finally, Indigo reached her room and bid Jones goodnight.

Smith awoke to see Jones and Brown staring down at him with a look of relief that their leader had not fallen.

"The twins did a number on me." he groaned.

"Thankfully it was only a flesh wound." said Brown.

"Is Indigo safe?" asked Smith.

"Yes she is safe." said Jones

Smith let out a deep sigh of relief.

"I'm glad to hear it." Smith replied.

He slowly got up and he could feel the pain searing through his wound. He knew he had to take it easy, so he walked to the lobby and to the elevator and went up to the floor where Indigo was. The elevator was painfully slow and it seemed like forever until he would reach the floor ... finally he was there. He exited out the doors and made his way to her room.

Indigo heard a knock at the door, she had been crying. She opened the door and there stood Smith. He looked a little haggard and tired.

"You look like shit." she said.

"May I come in?"

"Sure."

Smith walked into her room and sat down on the bed. He looked down at the floor for a moment and then looked at her with those deep blue eyes of his.

"Uhm ... listen. I just wanted to apologize for the way I behaved earlier. But ..."

"But what?"

"But you should not have went where you didn't belong Miss Miller." he told her.

"Yes I am sorry about that Smith."

She sat beside him at that moment. He still looked into her eyes.

"But you shouldn't have ran away like that."

"Well I would not have run away had you not went apeshit on me on by throwing stuff."

Their voices started to raise.

"Well, had you not gone in there I would have not started 'throwing shit' as you put it Miss Miller!"

"Speaking of which Smith." she hissed back at him. "Stop calling me Miss Miller!"

"Well what would like me to call you?" he yelled back at her.

"My name is Indigo goddammit!"

Finally they both started to chuckle and then it turned into fits of laughter.

"Okay Miss Indigo Goddammit!" he laughed.

Indigo hit him with a pillow and he fell back on the bed, he writhed in pain.

"Oh my God! I am so sorry!" she apologized.

"No it's okay." Smith said.

"I should take a look at that thing." Indigo said.

Smith was reluctant at first and then he removed his tie and tie clip, unbuttoned his shirt. He revealed his chest, all Indigo could do was just stare because Smith looked so perfect and beautiful at that moment. Her hands made her way down to the bandaged area of his side, he flinched a little, but he still let her touch him gently. While she was doing this, Smith could feel himself getting aroused. By this moment the shirt was off, and Indigo noticed two large scars on Smith's shoulder blades, she reached out to touch them but he turned around and grasped her hand.

"Please ... don't touch those." he protested.

"Why?"

Smith quickly put on his shirt and collected his jacket, his tie and his tie clip and quickly headed for the door. Indigo tried to stop him but it was too late he was out the door.

"Smith!" she called out.

"I'm sorry!" he said.

Finally the door slammed shut behind him and Indigo fell back on the bed in frustration. She wondered what why Smith would not open up to her, why he freaked out when she attempted to touch his scars. What was Smith hiding from her?