Author's note time!

First. To anyone who's been waiting for this: sorry it's taken me seven months to get this chapter up. I'm a slow writer.

Second. About the anachronism thing I said in the last chapter, please ignore that. It was an idea I had that's not going to work out how I planned. So just pretend like I never said it, and just know that the events in the second chapter happened before the events in the first chapter.

Third. Thank you to everyone who has reviewed this story so far. Just knowing that anyone is actually reading this means the world to me. I love all of my reviewers. You rock. :)

Fourth. On to chapter three!

"He did it."

Morpheus said it first, and the words made their way through Zion. He did it. Three simple words. But three simple words were all they needed. Those words let them know that everything they had dreamed about – everything they knew was impossible – had finally happened. The war was over. The sentinels were slowly making their way back to where they came from. Back to the surface. Back to where they belonged.

One question, though, still loomed in the back of each mind. How long can the peace really last? Of course, no one could answer that question. All they could do was wait. Wait to see if the machines would stay away. Wait for Neo and Trinity to return. Wait to hear their story.

For now, all anyone knew was that there was finally peace. For now, the people of Zion could live without fear. And among the cheering crowd, a lone voice spoke.

"Neo, wherever you are... Thank you."

Neo sat in his tiny MetaCortex cubicle, staring at the time on the computer screen. 4:58. 4:58. Two minutes until I get out of this hellhole for the weekend. He impatiently tapped a pen against the desk and sighed as he saw the time change to 4:59.

"Anderson!"

Goddamnit. What now? "Yes, Mr. Rhineheart?" he asked, sounding as pleasant as he possibly could.

"There's something I need you to do. It can't wait. Have it done by 8:00 tonight Email it to me the second you finish. Good night, Anderson. And I'll see you bright and early Monday morning."

"Yes, sir, Mr. Rhineheart."

As his boss laid a piece of paper on his desk detailing what needed to be done, Neo looked at the time again. 5:01.

"Goddamn asshole."

"Link. I need you to watch him for a while. We're making contact tonight. And since the searches still aren't working, we've just got to keep an eye on him."

"Yes, sir."

As Link sat in the operator's chair, Morpheus walked out of the core to find Trinity, once again going over the plan in his mind.

Time's running out. I know it, Morpheus knows it, we all know it. Hell, Neo probably knows it on some level. If we don't get him out soon, we never will. He'll be stuck forever. But he can't be. We need him. And if he stays in the Matrix... I don't know what I'll do. I'll never—

Trinity's thoughts were interrupted when Morpheus entered the mess hall. She watched as he sat across from her at the long metal table, and the two sat together for a few minutes before Morpheus broke the silence.

"I know what you're thinking."

"It's just – what if he does take the blue pill, Morpheus? He'll be lost to us forever. I don't know if Zion could take that. I don't know if I could take that. Do you know what that would to do me? I know you wouldn't be able to. Zion needs him, but we need him so much more. I need—"

"Trinity, you know him. You know he's going to take the red pill. We're going to get him out tonight. We're going to save Zion. We're going to get him out, Trinity. Trust me. Now, look, we need to go over the plan one more time before going in."

Trinity sighed, "Right. I'll be waiting outside MetaCortex, and I'll make sure he sees me when he comes out of the building. Give him a look; make sure he's following me."

"Once he's almost caught up to you, I come by in the car. You give him a look that tells him to come with you, and you get in the car. We'll tell him everything in the car while Link brings the ship to pick him up, and Neo will have his choice."

"Let's just hope this works, Morpheus."

"It will, Trinity. You've got to have faith."

Morpheus stood from his seat across from Trinity. He opened his mouth to speak, then decided better of it and left the mess hall. Trinity stayed seated, contemplating what she was going to have to do.

I don't know what I'll do when I see him again. It's been too long. Will I be able to see him and just... walk away?

"Commander Lock, have you heard from Captain Morpheus about his progress with The One?"

"No, Councilor, I have not. And I don't expect to. You know very well how Morpheus is. His disregard for authority is appalling. I don't understand why you allow him to remain a captain in our fleet."

"As the council has told you before, Commander, you don't need to understand our reasoning in order to comply with it. We ask that you try to contact Morpheus, and if you are able to learn anything, report to us immediately. If you can't get in touch with him by tomorrow night, report to us for further instruction. Perhaps... Perhaps Captain Niobe may have spoken with him."

"Yes, Councilors. I'll do my best to find out how he is doing with his mission."

"Thank you, Commander. You are dismissed."

With that, Lock left the council chamber, silently fuming. He would never understand why the council gave Morpheus the freedom they did, Nevertheless, they were his superiors. Lock made his way to his office, knowing it would take hours before he was able to locate and communicate with Morpheus.

"We have learned that the rebels, Morpheus and Trinity, have recently entered the system. We believe they may be coming for Mr. Anderson. Find them before they find him. Whatever may happen, don't let them make contact under any circumstances."

What's taking him so long? He should've been out here by now. I don't know how much longer I can stand this waiting.

Trinity stood across the street from the MetaCortex building, intently watching the door, waiting for Neo to come out. She was also alert, on the lookout for agents that might be around. She looked down the road and saw Morpheus in the parked car, waiting for Trinity to signal him when she saw Neo.

Neo sighed as he finally finished his work and looked at the clock.

Goddamnit. 6:45. God, I'm hungry. I've got to stop and get some noodles on the way home. Now that I think about it, that sounds really good. Some takeout and a comfortable night at home.

When he got in the elevator, he started thinking how great that night would be. The first night back in his own place. No parents watching his every move. No more having to sneak around when Choi and the others came by. He was free to stay up coding until 4:00 in the morning if he so chose.

Trinity looked through the glass doors of the building, and saw Neo step out of the elevator. Here goes nothing, she thought, just as she saw two agents.

"Shit."

She tried to signal Morpheus, letting him know that they weren't getting Neo out that night. Morpheus saw, and distracted one of the agents by running away from Trinity, yelling at her to go in the other direction.

As Neo walked out of MetaCortex, he saw a very familiar looking woman across the street. His eyes caught hers for a brief moment, just before she started to run away. That moment was enough for Neo to know he wanted to know more about this woman. He felt an intensity he had never felt before when he looked into her eyes. He wondered why she looked so familiar, when all of a sudden –

"Oh my God. Trinity."

Trinity looked back over her shoulder just as Neo started to chase after her.

"Trinity! Wait!"

Oh, God, Neo. No. The agents. Please don't follow me.

"Get out of here! Go! Leave me alone!" she yelled over her shoulder, waving her arms frantically to make him go away. She hated telling him to leave her, but she knew she had to. There was no other choice. If he kept following her, he was sure to be killed.

Neo was faster, though, and caught up to her in an alley, right next to a payphone. He pushed her against the wall, pinning her arms against it.

"Trinity." He whispered her name before instinctively lowering his head and capturing her lips with his own.

Her first instinct was to fight him. To get away. To save them both. But she could feel herself slowly giving in to his kiss. Neo's arms lowered to her waist and she wrapped her arms around his neck. The kiss was full of a passion she hadn't known in far too long, and as his lips moved down to her neck the payphone next to them rang, pulling Trinity out of her reverie.

She gently pushed Neo away, and with an apologetic look, Trinity brought the phone to her ear. And just as suddenly as she had come into his life that day, she was gone.

Three men in suits started down the alley, and grabbed Neo by the collar.

"Where is she?" one of them asked. Neo could tell the man was furious, but he had no idea why.

"I don't know. She was just here, and then she was gone. I... think. She... she disappeared." Oh, God. I think I'm crazy.

One of the men lifted his hand to his earpiece, obviously listening to someone on the other end. "No. The rebel is gone."

Trinity opened her eyes and saw the familiar setting of the core. She looked up at Morpheus and Link, and they both looked extremely amused. After a bit of thought, she knew why.

"Oh my God. You were watching us, weren't you? How could you do that to me? Haven't you ever heard of privacy? Or you could have at least put the call through sooner, Link."

Link laughed, "Well, Trin, you didn't even attempt to get out of sight. Anyone walking by could have easily seen you. And trust me – you two were putting on quite a show. Anyone else would have been watching you, too."

Trinity grunted in frustration before stalking off to her quarters.

Rebel? What does he mean by rebel?

"Uh, excuse me, sir? Rebel?"

"Nothing you should worry about, Mr. Anderson. You just head on home," one of men told him. They three walked out of the alley, rounding the corner so they were out of sight.

"But – Mr. Anders – wait, how do you – where'd they go?" Neo had followed them out of the alley, but they were nowhere to be found.

How on earth did they know who I am?