Before I begin I have to thank x.ShatteredImage.x for helping me with some fresh ideas that I used in Chapter 8 and that I'll be using in these last chapters as well!

CHAPTER 9: CHOICES

On the neb everyone was worried because of the gunshot they heard. Link was trying to understand the codes on the monitor.

"I see Trinity and the other two codes I don't know"

Cryptex looked at the monitor.

"One of it is Phoenix, I know that for sure, but I don't know the third. I guess it's the Phantom" he said.

Link looked at the Phantom's code with more attention… It was a new code, but yet it looked very familiar in one way.

Niobe was watching over Neo.

"Boys, the monitors pick up some activity from Neo's brain" she told her sons.

For about five minutes the brain waves indicated that he was about to wake up, but then everything came back to the way it was.

The monitors began working again. They could all see Phoenix running, holding Trinity by her hand, like dragging her to follow her. Phoenix seemed hurt at the hand with which she was holding Trinity. Her face frowned with pain as she held her other hand on the wound to heal it.

They reached the Oracle's house and they lost the connection again. At least they knew they were fine.

And it was no time to worry for them, because the Sentinels attacked their ship and they had to head for Zion as quickly as possible.

Phoenix was exhausted by the time they entered the Oracle's house.

"Have a seat, my dear ones" the Oracle told them.

"What happened? Why him? It can't be him! What about the prophecy? How can I do what I have to do when he is who he is?" Phoenix shouted crying.

"Neo…killed…Morpheus? I…almost…shot…Neo" was all that Trinity could say.

"Calm down, I'll explain everything" the Oracle replied. "The Phantom is and is not Neo. Better said, the Phantom is Agent Smith."

"Smith? I thought Neo defeated him!" Trinity replied.

"You see, Neo didn't completely defeat Smith. By letting himself infected by him, he destroyed Smith's outer shell, but got his mind controlled by Smith. Inside Neo's head right now, there's a permanent battle between him and Smith. But Neo is too weak to gain control over himself. Smith did everything, he committed all those crimes, he killed Morpheus and Persephone. The worst thing is that Neo is aware of everything that Smith does. It was awful for Neo to see Morpheus get killed, to see that his mentor died believing that he was the killer. And as much as Neo would be happy to die and get rid of the burden of being controlled by Smith, Smith keeps him alive. They keep each other alive. Today when the Phantom looked into your eyes, Trinity, Neo got control over Smith, but it didn't last for long. It was the only time when he was about to break free, at the cost of his life, just for your love."

"Is there any way of helping Neo?" Phoenix asked.

"Yes, there is, and you know which is the way Phoenix" the Oracle replied, looking into the poor girl's eyes.

Phoenix saw in the Oracle's eyes the future, she saw what she had to do.

"Could you please tell me what are you talking about?" Trinity asked.

"All I can tell you, mother, is that Neo will be back" Phoenix said, giving Trinity a hug and crying "but I need you not to tell anyone about Neo and the Phantom! Do you promise?"

"If this brings my love back, I promise!" Trinity answered.

Everyone was relieved to see Trinity and Phoenix back on the Neb safe and sound.

"Phoenix! What happened, why do you both looked so sad?" Castor asked after giving her a kiss,

"We had a close encounter with the Phantom, we could barely escape him and we're a little frightened still" she answered.

"Why did you return to the Oracle's after that?" Castor insisted.

"She finally explained how I'll kill the Phantom and fulfill the prophecy" Phoenix answered with a bitter smile on her face. "But why are we back in Zion?"

"The war is getting worst, sentinels are attacking. In Zion we're safe for now" Castor replied with a sigh.

Neo had been left aboard Neb, connected to the monitors. Trinity decided to spend that night by his side, to watch upon him. But everything that happened that day was too much for her, and she fell asleep. She didn't see Phoenix sneak in and kiss Neo on the forehead, holding his hand, sobbing, then saying farewell to both of them…

Towards morning Trinity suddenly woke up… Was it a dream or did Neo's hand just move? She grabbed his hand. He squeezed it.

"Neo, do you hear me?" she asked "Neo?" She kissed him. Neo kissed her back, then he slowly opened his eyes, looking around him, very confused.

"Trinity! You're alive! And I woke up from my nightmare…" Neo said, giving Trinity another passionate kiss.

"It was not a nightmare, Neo" she sighed.

Neo was horrified.

"You mean everything was true? I did do all those things?" Neo hugged Trinity, crying. "Oh, Trin! Morpheus… and Persephone… and all those people… "

They were interrupted by Castor, who came running in.

"Trinity! I can't find Phoenix anywhere! Neo! You're awake!"

TBC