Bree stood in front of the council members, hands behind her back, and feet spread shoulder width apart in proper stance. Her hair was tied back, and her face wore a set look upon it. For once Ace was not beside her, nor even in the building with her. She was alone and standing there in front of the wise people, as she waited for one of the council to ask the question she knew was on all of their minds, and the question she dreaded to answer. She still did not want to accept the truth, though it was plain as day in front of her face.

"So he's back?" asked one of them. There was the question.

"Yes, councilor," Bree said plainly, though it was obvious how much she was troubled by her words, "I am sure that the agent that pursued me and inflicted these wounds you see was Smith, but what his plans are, I cannot yet say."

"Yet?" said another of the council. Bree drew herself up a little prouder.

"I plan on finding out exactly what Smith is doing back, and what his plans are. However, whether I will be able to do that will be up to Ace, for Morpheus passed on the captainship of The Neo to him and not me." Bree could hear the bitter tone in her own voice, but she neither showed her acknowledgement of it nor did she really care. Though she and Ace considered each other equals in any situation, she still thought that she should be captain and not him.

"Very well Lieutenant, you may go." Bree nodded respectfully and turned to leave.

"Oh, Lieutenant?" called one of them, and Bree turned back around, "You should talk to him. And then ask him where she is, because I think you need to have a little talk with her as well."

Bree stood there rigidly for some time, staring at the old woman in the middle of the table. Finally she swallowed another lump that had formed in her throat, nodded to the council once more and walked out of the building. Once out of room she picked up her pace, boots clunking on the metal floors as she maneuvered through the labyrinth of halls. She passed many people who tried to stop her, even Ace who looked quite relieved to find her, but she flew by him and continued on her way. She had a destination in mind, and nothing was going to stop her. She had to do this before she chickened out…again.

The door was large, and rusty in color. Bree stood in front of it, her arms folded and her foot tapping. She was afraid to go in, just like she had been for the past four years. She began pacing frantically back and forth in front of the door, trying to tell herself to go in, but it wasn't working. Suddenly she stopped pacing, turned back around to face the door and took a deep breath. It was time to do this. She reached a shaking hand out to the handle of the door, her fingers just an inch away from the scratchy surface, when the door opened. Standing in the doorway, was a tall, bulky person, wearing a bemused expression.

"I don't think I've ever met a person that could take so long to open a door," said Morpheus, as he stepped aside to let Bree in. She didn't move at first, but finally took a reluctant step inside the captain's quarters. She looked around the room, eyes lingering on the various maps and books littering the area.

"I like what you've done with the place," she said casually, taking a seat in a tattered chair in front of a large, metal desk, "A lot better then Locks interpretation of a mercenary headquarters." She heard Morpheus chuckle behind her before he walked around to take a seat behind the desk.

"Yes, I rather like it, though I do not take credit for this," he said gazing around the room himself, a serene smile on his face, "I was not given the position of Head Decorator." Bree rolled her eyes, as she realized she was being patronized, and by someone she had thought of as a father for as long as she could remember no less.

"I'm here to talk to you," she said, "About the captainship of The Neo, sir."

"Yes, I figured you would come to me about that before long," he said, leaning back in his chair and placing his fingertips together, "You are curious as to why I gave the position to Ace instead of yourself." It was a statement not a question.

"Yes," she replied, happy she hadn't had to bring up the topic herself, "Sir, I love Ace, but you know that I deserved that position. I've deserved it for a long time however I had to wait till I was older. Now that time has been and gone, yet I still remain merely second-in-command." For a long time there was silence, until finally, Morpheus heaved a great sigh.

"When I was told I was being given Locks position," he began, in the voice of one worn down by many years, "I knew that I would have to give the captainship to someone I knew could handle it -"

"I could have handled it!" Bree blurted out. Morpheus held up a hand, and Bree silenced herself quickly. He still had an odd power over people.

"I know that Bree. I know you could have handled it. But if you remember what was going on when I handed over the captainship, then perhaps you will understand my decision." Bree took on a puzzled look for a few minutes, before sighing and rolling her eyes again.

"Ok mixing up non-flammable and highly-flammable labels could happen to anybody," she said.

"No, not that Bree," he said wearily, "Though I think we'd all like you to pay more attention in that field. No, I am talking about your emotional state-of-mind." Again Bree looked confused, and then she sighed again, and propped her elbow up on the arm of her chair so she could massage her temple.

"Morpheus, I lost two people that I cared about. One being like a sister and confidante ever since I joined the crew, and the other being someone that understood me, and who I had a past with. I was distraught, and unsure of myself, especially...especially after the Logos came back to us. I'm sorry that I chose a bad time to be emotionally unstable, but you should have known that I would not always be that way!"

"But Bree, you are being that way now," Morpheus said calmly.

Bree fell silent once more and slumped back in her chair. Her dark hair fell in her face, though she was too lost in thought to brush it away. She just sat there, staring at nothing in particular, mulling Morpheus words over in her head. Was she really being as emotionally unstable? She shook her head, more to clear her head then to disagree with the notion. Then she stood up and headed for the door, mentally kicking herself for ever coming here. She should have just left it as it was. But, then she would have never gotten over her fear of talking with Morpheus face-to-face. As she left, he spoke once more.

"Bree," he called, "She's in Section 344. Row 5." Without looking, back, or even giving any acknowledgement that she had heard him, Bree inwardly thanked him and left, leaving Morpheus in his office, smiling sadly but proud.

Now she was really on a mission, but this time she was not rushing herself. She was going slowly, very slowly. She had to constantly take deeper and deeper breaths to ensure that she didn't keel over with anxiety. Finally she reached the Sections. This was where the ashes of the fallen were stored, the more decorated with their own plaque. There were many rows, spanning quite a distance. Bree went no further right then, merely stood and stared, her feet seemingly glued to the ground. After a few minutes she felt someone come up beside her, but did not turn to look at who it was.

"I thought you swore never to come here," said Ace, and Bree closed her eyes in relief. She thanked God it was him and not someone else.

"I lied," she said in a strained whisper. Ace nodded, and she felt his hand grasp hers.

"Ready?" he said, as though he had planned on coming with her all along. She opened her eyes, staring down the long corridor before them, and nodded. Trembling slightly, she took a step forward, Ace following suit. Then another step, and another, until she was walking down along the rows, reading the numbers as she passed. It took a long time to come to the section they wanted, but that being so the arrival still came sooner then Bree wanted. She stared at Section 344, trying to read the row numbers but not being able to focus. Thankfully Ace had noticed this and was reading the row numbers himself.

"Row 5," he said softly. Bree slowly moved her head to stare at the row that he had read off of. Tentatively she reached a hand out and stroked the shining plaque that hung above the compartment where the ashes were held.

Trinity

Crew member of the Nebuchadnezzar 10 years

Outstanding pilot, mechanic, and unforgettable friend

You will be sorely missed.


Bree retracted her hand and wiped her eyes, which had begun to well up with tears. 'Sorely missed' was right. Trinity hadn't just been a friend; she had been like a sister to Bree since the moment she had stepped onto the Nebuchadnezzar at the tender age of fifteen. Cold, scared, and in shock of what she had just learned, Trinity had cared for Bree and taught her the ways of the ship, and the real world. When the Logos pulled into Gate 2 nearly eight years prior, and they had found Trinity's body aboard, it had been the worst day of Brees life. At least with Neo they didn't know for sure whether he was gone forever, but she would never see Trinity again.

"Ace," she said, her voice cracking, "I'll meet you at home." Hesitating slightly, Ace slowly nodded and left, giving her hand a squeeze before he did so. She watched him go, her stormy eyes following him as he left. The corners of her mouth twitched upwards as she of how lucky she was to have him. Once he was out of sight, she looked back to the silver memorial before her. She placed her hand on its surface, her palm feeling the cold metal. Her reflection stared back at her as her eyes locked on the carved words.

"I don't know what to do, Trin," she said, her voice a choked squeak, "I'm lost without you or Neo. I need guidance...I need you." She stood with her hand on the wall for some time, before pulling herself away and very slowly leaving the Sections. She looked back many times, but kept moving forward, until she found herself in front of the living quarters she and Ace shared. In her daze she almost knocked on her own door, but stopped herself and oppressively opened the door. The clanging sound of silverware dropping reached her ears as Ace got up and rushed to meet her in the entrance way.

"Are you all right?" he asked. Bree almost snapped at him, but smiled shakily and nodded.

"I'm fine," she said unconvincingly. As such, Ace still looked worried.

"Maybe you should lie down," he suggested. She shook her head, suddenly taking on a dark, serious expression.

"No, I'm going in." She needed to go back into the Matrix, find out what Smith was doing. Aces eyes widened and he grabbed her shoulders, forcing her to look at him.

"Bree," he said firmly, "I understand how you feel about this, but you can't go in now. You're tired, and you're still hurt. You won't survive another encounter. If you have to go wait until tomorrow; when the crew and I can join you. Please Bree. I couldn't stand to lose you too."

Staring deep into his eyes with her own, Bree almost protested; almost told him that she was going in now and since he was not the leader of Zion he couldn't do anything about it. But at the same moment the words formed in her throat, a voice sounded in her head, and it was not her own. Bree blinked her eyes a few times, trying to decide whether it had been nothing, when it came again. What disturbed her, besides the fact that she was hearing a voice in her head, was that she now recognized the voice. As though answering her plea for guidance, Trinity's voice was now telling her to listen to Ace, to wait till tomorrow to get her answers about Smith, if any were to be had.

"All right," Bree said suddenly, looking at Ace and smiling, "I'll wait. But tomorrow, you won't be able to stop me." It was meant to be a warning. She loved him, and did not want to die and leave him, but even that could not stop her from doing this.

"I would never dream of it," he said smiling, though it was clear he was being serious, "I want to know why he's back same as you do." Bree smiled, and then yawned. She finally realized how tired she was.

"I think I'm going to go to bed," she said, "I'll see you in the morning." The two kissed briefly.

"Bright and early," said Ace, smiling like that young boy he still resembled. For the first time that day, Bree smiled a full, happy smile, all gloomy thoughts leaving her head for the time being. There was no time for them in the day anymore. She walked into the bed chamber and climbed onto the soft mattress, falling instantly asleep. Tomorrow would hold many questions waiting to be given answers. Though even Trinity did not have to tell Bree that not all of them would receive them, and many more would possibly be added.