Days turned into weeks as the Nebuchadnezzar bustled with excitement waiting as the day of meeting Hunter came closer. When it had finally arrived, Neo and Trinity entered the Matrix after Trinity had hacked into Hunter's computer and told her to meet them in a local bar. Striding silently into the bar, Neo saw the girl first, barely fifteen, and looking quite scared as a man leered at her, his beer spilling down his shirt. Trinity strode forward and handed the obviously drunk man a twenty to get him away. He took a look at the black leather, a smile spreading across his features before he saw the black clad figure next to her and he scuttled away, smart even when drunk.
Turning towards the girl, Trinity removed her glasses. She paused to watch as Neo's eyes scanned the crowd once before giving her a nod and slipping further into the crowd. Trinity looked back at the shivering girl, who had her eyes glued to the spot Neo had left. Trinity eyed the girl before beginning.
"Hunter." The girl's face expressed fear, not uncommon, along with a question in her eyes.
"Who are you? Both of you?"
"My name is Trinity. The man I came with is Neo." Trinity replied stoically, smiling inwardly at the look of shock upon the girl's face.
"You two…you…oh my God." A pause, before her eyes again met the other woman's. "What are you doing here? You hacked my computer earlier, didn't you? Why?"
"You ever feel that this world was more real when you dreamed?" The girl nodded. "Ever been able to form a question from that feeling?"
"What is the Matrix?" The girl asked, her face full of wonder.
"Do you want that question to be answered?" Another nod. "Then meet us tomorrow night at the Downtown Café. Eight pm- don't be late."
Trinity turned to leave only to have the girl grab her arm. Turning around in question, Trinity looked at the girl as she felt Neo coming nearer.
"Will I meet Morpheus?"
Trinity didn't open her mouth to speak, allowing Neo to instead.
"We guarantee it. See you tomorrow Hunter." Neo's shielded eyes hid any emotion from seeping out, allowing his gentle smile to calm the girl's nerves instead. Trinity knew that Neo would never lose the innocence in his eyes, and that was a weakness in the Matrix. For the moment, she was silently thankful that Hunter couldn't see the soft brown eyes and become even more enraptured with him.
Turning together, Trinity put her glasses back on and walked out side-by-side with Neo, leaving an amazed and bewildered fifteen-year-old girl behind them.
"She likes you." The sentence was blunt and to the point. Neo looked up from his dinner in the mess hall at Trinity's way of starting conversation.
"What makes you say that?" Neo allowed the spork to move aimlessly around in the bowl before dropping it with a satisfying 'clank'.
"I've been unplugged for fifteen years, Neo. I learned a long time ago to pick up on minute details." Trinity sat down across from him, clasping her hands together atop the table.
Neo was silent for a moment before opening his mouth to speak, a small smile playing at the edges of his mouth. "Feeling jealous?"
Trinity titled her head to one side, arching her eyebrow. "Don't start that shit with me." She smiled at the look of shock on Neo's face before continuing. "If she does anything, please do not try to stop me from making my point clear."
"Oh you know I won't. You'll attack me instead if I tried." Neo allowed a small smile to escape his lips, watching the crinkle at the side of Trinity's eyes as she smiled too.
Both looked up as the door squeaked open, revealing a worried Morpheus. He looked at the couple before closing the door and moving to be able to look at them both. Neo and Trinity eyed one another for a moment before Morpheus spoke.
"Did either of you know about Tank's wound and how it's not only still bad, but infected?" Trinity shook her head, causing Morpheus to look at Neo, who nodded shortly. "You knew and you weren't going to tell me?"
Trinity turned her head quickly to look at Neo, her brow furrowing.
"He-" Neo paused, sighing in frustration. "He didn't want me to tell you because he hates hospitals and he told me that he would be fine. I hadn't been unplugged long to really say he was wrong in not telling you."
"Wait. When did you find out about this?" Morpheus inquired upon hearing how Neo had phrased his reply.
Neo squirmed slightly, knowing his response would only infuriate both parties present. "A month ago."
"A month? My God, Neo. Why don't you sign his death warrant right now?" Morpheus waved his hand, anger fueling his words.
Neo winced at Morpheus's reaction, and was, quite simply, afraid to look at Trinity. His own emotions were bubbling beneath his calm exterior, and he knew that Trinity could see it.
"Look, I trusted that he would be able to take care of it. I trusted that he would get help, to tell you. Isn't that what this is all about? We need to trust each other."
"Goddammit Neo. Trust can only go so-"
"No. It goes to the end. It's the reason why everything works!" Neo stood, his own anger desiring to be unleashed. "If people can't trust each other, then why do we even try to fight a war against machines when we have ourselves to fight with? There is no peace if there is no trust Morpheus. So don't you tell me that trust only goes so far." Neo took a breath before turning and leaving.
"Neo-" Morpheus called out, his features softening. The captain looked helplessly to his silent Second-in-Command, who only shook her head as Neo pulled the door open and left.
Silence reigned for a moment before Morpheus sighed and took Neo's now empty seat at the table.
"I hope you understand why I acted the way I did. I never meant to upset him." Morpheus ran a hand over his bare scalp, feeling Trinity should receive his apology first. "I just don't want to lose anyone else. If Neo had told me when he found out-"
"What's wrong?" Trinity asked, her voice soft- a tone Morpheus had never heard from her before. Neo really must have really had an effect on her.
"I think its gangrene. It might have been adverted earlier, but now...I don't know. We have to return to Zion right after Hunter is unplugged. He needs medical attention."
"Neo only did what he believed he should do. He put trust in the man who holds our lives in his hands daily. If he was told not to say anything, then he wouldn't. Neo's like that. It's something we all lost a long time ago." Trinity answered calmly, her voice still soaked in silky softness.
"What is that?" Morpheus leaned forward, intrigued.
"Complete and utter trust in someone you barely know. He had to trust us all almost immediately. All of us were given at least some time to get to know each other." Trinity leaned back, stretching her arms.
"Yes. I agree. He had to solidify his relationships with all of us almost instantly." Morpheus nodded, his eyes watching Trinity. "I never thanked you."
Trinity looked up in surprise. "For what?"
"For giving him hope. There are many things I can go on about in a river of words, but my gratitude for you being with Neo is not one of those things. Tomorrow, I'll have a more levelheaded talk with him. Tonight, try to calm him down. His fury doesn't burst out often, and when it does, I would assume he'd want to get rid of it completely." Morpheus smiled gently and stood to leave.
"What exactly do you mean by that?" Trinity inquired, standing quickly to follow him out.
"I mean whatever way you decide to take it. Good night Trinity." Morpheus replied upon arriving at his cabin.
Trinity watched him disappear inside before passing Tank's door and finally arriving at hers and Neo's. Trinity paused outside, placing her warm palm on the cold, metal handle a moment before turning it. Slipping into the room, she saw Neo sitting on the bed; his legs stretched out, his boots apparently thrown across the room in frustration. His head had lolled back and his eyes were closed. After she shut the door, Trinity sat down to take off her boots. When she had finished, Neo still hadn't opened his eyes. Trinity could tell he wasn't asleep, just merely trying to calm his nerves.
"Neo?" Trinity watched as he slowly opened his eyes. For a moment, she was taken aback at the sudden look of hunger that passed across his delicate features. Recovering, she continued, "Feeling better now?"
Neo let out a snort before placing his hands on either side of his legs and pushing his body into a more upright position. Trinity could tell he didn't want to talk. If anything, the look he had given her upon opening his eyes said everything about what he'd rather do. Well, Morpheus did say he'd probably want to get all of his fury out at once instead of keeping it in. Trinity scooted closer to Neo, practically feeling the desire emanating off of his skin. God, can't we hold off just one more week?
Neo lifted his lids to gain a better view of Trinity. His fury was being fueled by more than just anger at his mentor. He and Trinity had no real privacy. A passion-laced kiss could easily send them over the edge of caring what others heard- or saw. A gentle caress could lead to the passion-laced kiss. There were no winners. Morpheus occasionally expected too much from him. He may be invincible inside the Matrix, but he was only a man outside of it. A man who has desires just like any other man, and they can only be held back so long before they break free.
Neo watched Trinity sizing him up, her own cravings glimmering in her eyes. She was always the stronger out of the two us. I wouldn't be surprised if she ends up stopping me. Neo chewed on the inside of his cheek, trying to calm his racing heart. My God, all she's done is sat down, looked at me, and moved five inches closer. She hasn't even touched me yet and I'm on fire. Amazing. Neo paused a moment longer, regarding Trinity before suddenly moving forward and capturing her lips with his own. Reaching a hand out to cradle the back of her neck, Neo pulled Trinity towards him, her body easily sliding over his, straddling his thighs.
Sighing against his mouth, Trinity allowed a hand to slide down Neo's arm before gripping it tightly when his own hands moved down across her back. Trinity broke their kiss and whispered in a hushed tone, "Let it out." Oh God, let it out. Neo looked into her eyes for a moment before giving his agreement in the form of a soft kiss on her jaw. Trinity closed her eyes at the touch, running her free hand through Neo's spiky hair. He had told her that he wanted to grow it back out to the length it was in the Matrix, and she had had no arguments. She had always wanted to run her hands through the thick mass of dark hair that had crowned his head.
Feeling his body shift slightly beneath her, Trinity straightened herself above him, edging closer. Neo's eyes widened and he groaned as her inner thigh grazed a rather sensitive part of his body. Grinding slowly against him, Trinity could feel the fire uncurling within her stomach before his lips searched and found hers in a fierce kiss. Pulling away, Neo took a breath and lifted his eyes to look at her closed lids.
"Less than a week." The words held no desire to be followed.
Trinity looked him in the eyes and nodded slowly before lifting herself off of him. Yes, just a few more days and they would be unburdened. They would be free from the rigors of war, and be able to let go completely.