Permanent Fixture

Chapter 6: Surprises

You rock reviewers as i'm sure you know.

I was devastated to find that my PC had gotton a sort of virus and everything had to be wiped, everything had gone. So, please bear with me because there is going to be alot of spelling mistakes because even microsoft word has gone. Thanks again reviewers, please do keep them coming.

The noise was still heard within the box. Cautiously, he attempted to open it with his hands which were by now, shaking from fear.

Perhaps it was a bomb? Or a cell phone like he had recieved from Morpheus such a long time ago? Thoughts ripped and rushed through his head.

He began unraverling the ribbon, bit by bit to reveal the contents of the shiny red box. The unraverling came to an end

when the ribbon slipped off freely from the box. Slowly but carefully he opened the lid to find...

A little black and white collie sheep dog puppy gazing at him with his eyes which were reflecting light from the sun. Neo

lifted the puppy up gently with one hand. Underneath the dog was a note which Neo read:

'' A loyal friend is what you

may just need, other than yourselves.

Congratulations on Trinity's pregnancy.

I wish you both the best. Oracle. ''

So she knew; thought Neo as he placed the dog onto the ground, carefully not wanting to damage their new family member.

''I bet you're hungry but i'm afraid we're right out of dog food'' Said Neo, while browsing through the selves. Someone averted his attention and he turned around.

''Good morning'' Neo said, briskly, as he faced Trinity. She smiled and ran a hand through her hair before walking towards Neo. She was planning

to embrace him, but it seemed the puppy had other thoughts as it settled down on Trinity's bare foot. She felt a touch and looked down to see the creature.

''What the hell is that doing here?'' She asked as raised her head and glared at Neo.

''A present apprantly, from The Oracle'' He pointed to the opened box and the note and walked around Trinity as she silently read the note.

After reading, she placed the note on the counter and shook her head from any thoughts that had appered there during the time she read. She then bent down to coach the puppy and it whined in satisfaction.

''It's pretty cute, and i have to say, it reminds me of someone'' Trinity still kept her eye sight on the puppy and Neo looked down on her.

''It does?'' He asked, an eyebrow raised.

''Yeah, you'' She got up from her kneeling position and attemted again to give Neo a morning kiss. This time the puppy did not interupt the couple and they stood their a good few minutes, eyes tightly shut and lips tightly locked. When the embrace ended, Trinity went into the bedroom and was followed by Neo.

''I remember...'' She said, rubbing her temples as to bring back any memories from her previous past.

''Remember what?'' Neo asked, interoguged by her certain thinking.

''When i lived here before i was unplugged, and i saved alot of money, i mean alot to keep me going. We could live on it, but if i can remember where i stored it''

By now, Neo was looking practically anywhere in the room and finally found the money's location.

''Here by any chance?'' He was on his hands and knees and had a cheeky look on his face. Underneath the bed was stacks of money that indeed Trinity had been saving for years upon end, an attempt to keep her busy while trying to find the question that drived her crazy.

She smiled, an facial expression that was not usually present upon her face.

''That's it. I worked hours, sometimes fifteen hours away just to keep me distracted from my other life. It worked until i finally found the answer'' Trinity explained.

''You know what?'' Neo said, while getting himself off the floor. He was still in his usual Matrix clothes, a trench coat, black trousers and a black top. ''I think

this find should be celebrated, what do you think?''

''I have to say i agree. But remember, there's another one inside me to be taken care off. Non alcoholic drinks are best'' She gulped, reality hit down as she remembered that she was indeed pregnant. She was always so good at hiding emotion and she wasn't going to be let down by it now.

''Yeah i know, sure, i'll take care of you both. But hang on, what about the dog?'' Neo asked, remembering about their present.

''Leave him or her here, we could take some money with us to buy some damn dog food from the 24/7 mart. How about that?'' Trinity replied.

''Good idea. Let's get going then...''

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They decided to go back to the club which they first met in. It turned out that Neo's old apartment and Trinity's old apartment weren't that far from each other and so the Club was easy to get to. When they settled themselves down, Neo realized there was an old friend at the club. He then approached them.

''Thomas? Fucking hell! It's been centeries, haven't seen you in a while, i'm dissapointed''

''Choi...how nice to see you again''

''Where have you been, boy?'' Choi said, slapping his hand rather hard against Neo's back.

''Just business...been out of the town alot, you know what it's like'' Neo lied.

''Yeah, sure, sure. How come no answer came when i knocked on your apartment?'' Choi asked, his eyes were now watching Trinity whom was drinking from a glass, slowly and didn't notice his stare.

''As i said, i was --'' Neo got cut off short.

''No, i even knocked on your door yesterday, man!'' Chio interupted.

''Oh right, well you see i don't live there any more. I live with...um...Lacey'' He thought of the name as he worked with woman named Lacey before he was unplugged.

Choi removed his stare from Trinity and looked at Neo and whispered in his ear.

''You finally found someone then, and a good find too. She's beautiful. May i?''

''May you what?'' Neo asked, alarmed at such a question. No other man would touch Trinity, not if he could help it.

''Sit next to her? Chat to her? Dance with her even?''

Trinity was not taking one slighest bit of attention, she was staring out the window. She was looking at all the slaves and stirred her drink at the same time. But when Choi sat next to her, she quickly turned her head.

''Excuse me?'' She said, looking at the man. She remembered him well. He was the guy who made Neo's unplugging practically succesfull, and was there on the first time they met, but she wasn't willing him to let him know this.

''Lacey, this is Choi. Choi, this is Lacey'' Neo decided to introduce them, he looked at Trinity as she accepted the name.

She let out her hand for a friendly handshake but Choi had other ideas.

''I'd much rather...'' He whispered the rest of his intentions in her ear which were resulted in a hard slap around the face.

''Chill...i was joking. Anyway, Thomas, back to business''

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An hour or more had passed and Trinity was getting very bored sitting there, staring out of the window. It wasn't until Choi slapped her bum that she felt it was time to go. She got up from her seat and left Neo, not caring much. She rushed past the still busy streets of The Matrix and took an alley way to go to the 24/7 Mart as intended.

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Neo awoke the next day to find the puppy giving him a morning wash.

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Trinity finally opened her eyes, and looked around the room. It was not her room, there was too many changes, it was all too posh. She sat there, still, a hand was gripped tight around her waist. She could not recollect any memories from the night before, she found it impossible. She noticed though that her clothes, apart from her underwear where on the floor, untiderley. She then felt the owner of the arm which was tight around her arm stir.

''Wakey Wakey Trinity'' The Merovingian spoke, in his french tongue.

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TBC...