a/n: To all the fans who still like this story... thank you! This is the last chapter I have left over from my pile of scraps (polished of course). So if you all want more, I will oblige, but you MUST review, and if you like, I will accept requests or ideas - it's all up to you!

-Syd

Chapter 10

Trinity closes the door to her room, and rests her forehead against the cold, riveted steel.

Oh, Neo.

She can still feel the warm sensation of his hand on the small of her back. She'd come close to kissing him in the hallway. Or he'd come close to kissing her. She can't decide anymore what had actually happened and what is only in her mind. Trinity doesn't know if she'd imagined the look in his eyes, or if she'd invented the sentiment in his voice. She has no idea what's Real anymore. The last time she felt this way, she was a battery in a power plant choking down a red pill…

God, he's beautiful. He's so gorgeous. That smile…

Trinity turns, leaning her back against the door. She slowly sinks to the ground, heart pounding.

His face…his eyes…everything.

The only thing that she can be sure of, the only constant, is how she feels. How she's always felt. She'd do anything for him, to keep him safe. Anything he needed, she would give. She'd felt it intuitively since the beginning.

But tonight, as Trinity sits on the cold floor of her cabin, clutching her sweater tightly around her, she realizes that something is different. Suddenly, this is no longer just about him. In spite of all her pride, all her self-worth, all her independence, Trinity realizes that she needs something back. She needs him to need her. She needs him to want her the way she wanted him in that hallway.

The idea that she is merely inventing his affection makes her feel nauseous. She blinks back tears.

This isn't who I am. I don't know how to do this. Why is this being asked of me? Haven't I given enough?

She knows that the three pieces, the Oracle's prediction, Morpheus' belief, and her own feelings all fit together perfectly. If the Prophecy is true, then this is what she is supposed to feel. This is her Purpose.

If the Oracle was right, if Morpheus was right…If I'm right about this…

Suddenly, her thoughts are interrupted by a timid knock at the door.

"What?" Trinity wipes the wetness from her eyelashes and scrambles to her feet.

"Trinity?" It is Neo's voice. Trinity's heart leaps into her throat. "I need… to talk."

Her mind races as she smoothes her hair back behind her ears. He doesn't sound like himself. Something in his voice makes her panic.

What's wrong?

Nervously taking a deep breath, she opens the door. The look on Neo's face leaves her speechless.

He's hurting; something horrible has happened. Oh, God what's happened?

"Hi."

"Neo…"

He stands in the corridor, a lost, hollow look in his eyes. He stares down at the ground. For a moment it looks as if he will turn and walk away. But then he sighs, and pierces her face with deep, brown gaze.

"Do you know what this… is supposed to feel like?"

Trinity looks at him open-mouthed for a moment, not understanding his question. Her instincts tell her to wrap him tightly in her arms, to hold him, to caress his cheek with the back of her fingers. Her instincts scream for her to love him.

"Uhm…come in." She steps out of the way, motioning for him to step inside the room.

When Trinity turns from closing the door, she's surprised to find him standing very close to her, nearly pinning her against the cold steel. She can feel the warmth from his body on her skin.

"What I mean," he struggles to explain, "…is that this has never worked for me before. This…us…" his voice trails off and he blinks back tears. He shakes his head in frustration. "Trinity, it's never felt Real before."

She hears her heart pounding in her ears. Trinity knows exactly what he means. His eyes are like two large mirrors, reflecting her years of frustration and loss back to her. She understands his pain like no one else could.

"I know."

She grips his shoulder with one of her hands, and places the other one on his chest. "Neo, I know… I'm…" She nearly cries, "I'm so sorry."

Neo touches the soft, delicate fingers resting on his chest, and then runs his hand along her arm. He finally rests his palm firmly in the small of her back. Instinctively, she inches closer to him until their bodies are touching.

She can feel his breath on her forehead as he speaks. "I've always wondered. I just always wanted to know. What it's like. To feel this…"

"I know," she whispers. His fingers lightly rub the smooth curve of her back. Trinity's fingernails dig into his shoulder. Their eyes connect in an unspoken agreement.

Neo takes her chin in his hand, cradling it between his thumb and index finger, and lifts her mouth to his. He kisses her gently; softly caressing her lips with his own. He feels her fingers brush his cheek, and then travel behind his ear. She cups the back of his neck and pulls him even closer.

With passion and tenderness, Neo presses his tongue against hers. Stifling a quiet moan, Trinity eagerly answers him by sucking at his lower lip, wanting to pull him completely into her, to swallow every drop of his heat, his strength, his soul. Everything.

"Trinity," he breathes. His arms are so strong around her, holding her, pressing her against him.

"Hm?" She pulls away just enough to playfully nudge her nose against his chin.

"I think I'm falling in love with you." He brushes some hair away from her face, and smiles.

I know. I know you are. Neo…

Trinity tries to say the words, but her chest feels tight, as if she were suffocating. She looks up at him, distressed. She can't breathe.

Neo grins. "Well, aren't you going to say something?"

Desperate for air, Trinity struggles from his arms, finding herself unable to scream out. She feels a cold sweat cover her face and chest.

Suddenly, the door to her cabin opens. Niobe leans in, and nods at Neo. "It's time to go."

Neo looks at Trinity for a moment, as if expecting her to say something. He then peers up at Niobe with uncertainty.

Go where? Neo, you can't go with her. Why would you go with her?

"I'm sorry, Trin, but I have leave." He touches her arm softly. "I'm taking The Word to the Machine City. To fulfill the Prophecy. Are you coming?"

The Prophecy? But it's too soon for that. She promised me I'd have time…you can't go yet. We've only just begun…

But, to Trinity's alarm, no words come from her mouth. She can't even move, her feet glued to the floor, freezing her like a statue. As she struggles to make sense of what is happening, her crystal blue eyes gape at Neo frantically, pleadingly.

He's taking The Word to the Machine City. What does that mean?

"Come on, Neo, there's nothing left for us here." Niobe steps right past the gasping Trinity and puts a hand on Neo's shoulder. "She isn't good enough. She never has been. Leave her here."

As Trinity glares contemptuously at Niobe, she is suddenly stricken with a horrifying realization.

The Logos. It's the ship he's talking about. That's The Word. No, Neo, I have to tell you… don't take that ship… The Oracle warned me…

Neo's eyes look at her with a desperate sadness, a deep Sorrow that cuts through her core like a razor. She'd seen this Sorrow before. But not in his eyes.

Neo turns to leave.

No, Neo… don't. I don't want to stay here… I have to go with you. We're supposed to go together… because you're not coming back.

Trinity awakes in a cold sweat, calling out and throwing the soaking sheets from her body.

"Oh, no," she whispers into the dark, her breath coming out in heavy gasps, nearly sobs. "What was I doing? What was I thinking?"

The Oracle's terrible prophecy is ringing in her ears, strangling her heart. She doesn't want to believe it, but she can't deny what she knows. That he is special, there is something about him, beyond his awkwardness, his playful, boyish sense of humour… there's an innocence there that she never thought would ever come from one who has been in the fields. From one who has seen what he's seen. But beyond this, Trinity also knows that not only is he different. He has made her different…

Trinity can only sit there in the cold night air, resting a hand on the thin wall that separates them. And another phrase spoken by the Oracle resonates in her thoughts…

He's not going to get very far without you, Trinity. That kid's gonna need you. Lord, is he ever…