CHAPTER 4- (cont'd from Ch. 3)

"Cypher!"

Trinity gasps with surprise as she turns from closing the door to Morpheus' office. Her heart sinks in her chest as she realizes that he's been standing outside the door.

"Are you okay? Do you need to talk?"

Trinity stares straight at him. Right into his rodent's eyes. They twinkle. She knows he overheard everything.

"I'm fine."

"You know, Trin. I can understand why you're upset with him. I'd just like you to know, that the entire crew is behind you on this one. One hundred percent."

Trinity shoots him a dangerous look. "The crew will follow Morpheus' orders. And so will I. Nothing has changed, Cypher."

"You'vechanged."

"No, I haven't. You have."

She searches his face for any hint of the person she'd always hoped Cypher would become. For nine years now she'd waited. Still, nothing.

"Hey, don't get on my back about it, Trinity. I tried to tell you. You know you should report him-"

"Cypher."

"Right. Sorry. Of course you would never do that. I'm sure the thought hasn't even crossed your mind. Still, I'll give you credit for that great speech you gave him about morals and compassion. You sure are doing a good job of looking out for Neo."

Sufficiently annoyed, Trinity turns to walk away from him, but Cypher catches her by the arm.

"Kinda funny you didn't visit him once in the med bay, though. I mean, if you're so concerned about him, why wasn't it you sitting up with him every night?"

"Don't touch me." Trinity forcefully shoves him away from her, using every bit of her self control not to spit in his face. But as much as she wants to get away from him, something keeps her pinned against the wall. She feels a weight in the pit of her stomach.

"You're such a hypocrite, Trinity. The only reason you're upset with Morpheus is because he took your little goldfish away. It was fun to watch him, to obsess over him on those screens, wasn't it? But now that he's here… suddenly you're not in control anymore. And that's the only way you like it. I know you."

She glares at him. You don't know anything. But still, Trinity can't seem to walk away.

"I know, for instance, that you won't go to him. I know because I've seen this all before. Your doormat Ghost finally got fed-up and left, and so will this one..."

Before Trinity can stop herself, she hears the sharp slap of her hand against his face. Her palm stings and Cypher looks at her in shock. For a moment, neither says anything.

Cypher finally smiles, letting his eyes travel all over her face and chest. "I'm not the one who left, Trinity. I'm still here. Think about it."

He then turns and walks down the hallway, leaving Trinity alone, with a sick feeling in her stomach. And it isn't the usual nausea that follows whenever Cypher looks at her like that. His words ring in her ears, saturating her, drowning her.

She sighs, and thumps the back of her head against the steel wall a few times.

"Shit. This is all my fault."

Indeed. 'Trinity's Youthful Mistake,' is what Niobe used to call the often-troubled Cypher. And, although a younger, more temperamental Trinity sincerely resented any suggestion that she'd made a mistake, she knows now that Niobe was right. Cypher was never happy aboard the Nebuchadnezzar.

When she first began studying him in the Matrix, Niobe tried to warn her. "He's too old," she said, leaning over Trinity's shoulder and pointing at the screen. "And look at that awful goatee… never trust a guy with a goatee. Didn't you read my 'Unplugging for Dummies' manual?"

Trinity was irritated by the joke. First of all, she didn't need a manual; he wasn't that old. And second of all, he was a damn-good programmer. And he was the only Target on the list who had followed all of her hacks. In fact, Cypher had studied Trinity's history extensively, and had spent years trying to contact her… The Trinity. IRS D- Base Trinity. Intrigued, and more than a little flattered, she made up her mind. She wanted to meet this one.

So, she pushed for Cypher's Freedom, and, despite Niobe's vehement objections, Morpheus trusted the twenty-one-year-old Trinity's judgement. But right from the start, right from the first weeks of Cypher's life on board the ship, Trinity had a gnawing feeling in the back of her mind that perhaps she'd made a mistake.

To say he was horribly miserable would be an understatement. Trinity remembers she had to beg him to get up in the morning to start his training, and every day, he let Morpheus wipe the ground with him. Then, frustrated, Trinity had wiped the ground with him herself. That was the first time she ever saw him smile.

"He'll make a good programmer, Trinity. We will leave him in Zion the next time we dock." Morpheus put a hand on her shoulder. "It's not your fault. Some people just aren't cut out for it."

"Give him some time, Morpheus. He's still adjusting to…"

"It's over."

Trinity glared at Niobe. "No, it's not. Not yet." Then, she looked back at Morpheus. "Give me a chance. I'll have him kicking her ass in a month." She flashes a confident smile at Niobe. "Hell, give me two months and I might even have him kicking mine."

Niobe folded her arms and smirked. Smart-ass.

Morpheus sighed. He knew he was going to get hell for this, but... "Okay. We'll stay out a bit longer than planned. Trinity, you have two weeks."

"Sold!" Trinity triumphantly smacked her hands together, and practically skipped towards the door. On her way out of the room, she nudged Niobe's shoulder. "After this, you may want to buy my book: 'Training Newbies for Dummies.'"

"Trinity." Morpheus shot a serious glance at her. "You have a lot to do. I'd get to it if I were you."

Suddenly, the smile vanished from her face. "Of course. Sorry, sir."

Trinity cringes now to remember the hell she'd put Cypher through. To make him achieve what she knew he was capable of. Or, maybe, what she wanted him to be capable of. Partly to impress Morpheus. Party to prove Niobe wrong. But mostly, because she loved a challenge. And Cypher definitely was a challenge.

"Hit me!"

"Jesus Christ, I'm tired!"

"I said… HIT ME!" Trinity kicked him hard against the wall of the dojo, and Cypher collapsed into a heap on the floor, drenched in sweat. He peered up at the woman standing in front of him. She was dressed in a crimson red kimono, her long, raven hair tangled up in chopsticks. God, she's sexy.

"Cypher- we have three days left. At this rate, you'll never be readyyyyyaaaa….!" Trinity's feet flew above her head and she landed flat on her back. Her surprised laughter echoed in the room. "Good." More laughter. "Very Good. If not a bit dirty."

"I have to fight dirty."

Trinity got to her feet, and helped Cypher up. "Yeah, and why's that?"

"Because the fight isn't fair. You have the advantage." Cypher walked over to get two swords from the wall of the dojo. He tossed one at Trinity.

As she snatched it out of the air, she brushed a long strand of hair out of her face. "What advantage?"

"Your outfit, Trin. It's distracting me."

Trinity answered his comment with a completely blank expression… followed by the clever quirk of an eyebrow. She pulled out her phone.

"Trinity… uh, I'm sorry, I…"

She silenced him by raising a hand in the air. She tapped her foot as the phone rang.

"Sparks. Yes…Cypher says he wants to try it with a blindfold. Yeah I know, it's a tough exercise, but he insists." She winked at Cypher. "Yes, I agree. He's quite the trooper."

In truth, Trinity never minded the few, innocent flirtations. As long as he was ready by her deadline; as long as she won, nothing else mattered. She was completely committed to the project, and spent every minute of her day with him. By the time the two weeks were up, not only was Cypher ready, but he exceeded even Trinity's expectations. She was absolutely thrilled when Morpheus decided to keep him on as part of the crew.

"So… I think Congratulations are in order!" Trinity, full of self-pride, beamed at Niobe.

"Yes. I think so." Niobe raised an eyebrow at Trinity, but then walked right past her, and warmly placed a hand on Cypher's shoulder. "Congratulations, Cypher. Your progress has been very impressive."

"Good teacher." His affectionate eyes wandered over to Trinity.

"Yes." Niobe turned and looked at her overconfident young protégé, and then back at the bedazzled Cypher. She smiled wryly. "She certainly is." A sigh. "Cypher, we'd be very happy to have you continue onboard the Neb. But, just because we've offered, don't feel you have to take it. When we dock, take a look around Zion… and then decide where you feel most comfortable. They're always looking for good programmers, you know."

Trinity remembers glowering at Niobe, wishing she that for once… she'd acknowledge defeat. Little did she know, Niobe was actually trying to do her a favour. Indeed, within a few weeks, Trinity found herself irritated with Cypher's constant attention, and began wishing he hadn't accepted Morpheus' apprenticeship in the first place.

God, I was so stupid.

Trinity shakes her head as she walks down the corridor and climbs the stairs to the Main Deck. She's grateful that Niobe hadn't stuck around long enough to see how miserable Cypher had become. And, although Trinity wishes every day that he'd just quit, she knows he won't. Indeed, she knows his reason for staying all too well.

Feeling guilty and violated all at the same time, she wanders through the empty Core, absent-mindedly passing her fingers over the old, worn chairs and filthy monitors.

Tank really should clean these.

She moodily wipes her hand on her pants, and considers running down to the mess hall to get the bleach. But she quickly does away with the idea, realizing that if she goes down to the Lower Deck, she is sure to run into Cypher, or, possibly worse, Morpheus.

"Ship's too damn small," she mumbles as she adjusts her favourite seat into a reclined position. She glances around the room, making sure she's completely alone, and then gratefully collapses into the chair.

Trinity lies there for a long time, staring at metal hull above her, and finds herself missing Niobe, of all people. She wonders what she's doing. If she's happy.

"You were right, okay?" Trinity concedes to the empty room. Her thoughts drift to Morpheus. "God, I hope you weren't right about everything."

Preview for Ch. 5: (I'm not joking here, guys! Who is the Captain's secret love?)

"Kiss me Morpheus! Let's do it. Like we've always wanted to. Right here, in the Operator's chair."