Chapter 3

Nothing peaceful ever lasts forever, does it?

Link rushed over to their door, knowing that the sooner they got up, the sooner he could help Morpheus steer the ship through the gates and dock, and that meant that he could get home sooner as well. Home to where his love awaited, and all the other people he cared about. He longed to see them all, so waking Neo and Trinity would have to be rushed.

" Neo! Trinity!" he shouted as he slammed at their door. He heard grunting from the inside, knowing that they had been asleep and that he had definitely woken them up. " We reach Zion in 20 minutes, get up, " he told them before he ran down the hallway, eager to help Morpheus with their task. Like he had thought before, the sooner they could dock, the sooner he would get home… he knew Morpheus never lingered for long.

Inside the room, Trinity snuggled closer to Neo, sucking out the joy in the warmth they shared in their unity. She knew they had to get up, but 5 minutes longer shouldn't matter…

" You're a bad influence, you know, " she said and Neo looked down at her, rubbing his sleepy eyes. " Is that right?" he asked, stifling a yawn. She smiled at him and playfully hit him on the nose, and caught his wonderful grin back. That grin that made him look 15 years old again, and that very grin that made her heart jump.

" Yeah… convincing me to stay in bed, like this. Bad influence." Neo nodded his head, and found her hand under the quilt. He played with her fingers for a while, accepting to be the blame for her accusations.

" But at least I'm the right kind of bad influence…" he said, and she could only muster a chuckle. He looked down at her as if to ask what, but she was quicker than him. " You're not as innocent as you seem, " she explained and as he hugged her with his free hand he answered; " … but you are?"

And now it was her time to grin, as she looked up at him with a hunger in her eyes, a hunger he liked seeing there, fully knowing what it meant.

" Oh, I wouldn't go that far… but in these 2 days we're here I'm sure we'll bring a whole new meaning into the word innocence, huh?"

And he could only smile and cease her lips.

" This is the Nebuchadnezzar requesting access, " Link spoke into his headset and could hear the transmission in the background noise. He lowered the pressure from the hovers, and saw Morpheus writing in the coordinates into the computer.

" You are clear and granted for access, Nebuchadnezzar, " the headset brizzled some moments later. " Opening the gate, beds made, waiting. Welcome home."

Link smiled into the headset as he thanked Maggie, who he knew was sitting in the control tower. He had met her on several occasions, always recognizing her voice and starting a conversation with that. But other than that, he did not hang out much with any other coppertops than the 3 on this ship; he mostly spent time with Zee when he was home in Zion.

Zion. Home, sweet home…

The ship floated through the giant gates of their home, and Morpheus eye caught a glimpse of the APU guarding them from below. It stood poised and its canons pointing out into the chilly world from which they had just entered, and it awaited anything suspicious, and fearing the worst all the time… but that was how the soldiers were trained, Morpheus thought. But some needed protection more than others…

Morpheus pointed out a spot for Link to dock in, and ironically enough it was the same spot as they always docked in. There were no special places reserved for the ships in the fleet, but Morpheus liked the continuity of always docking at the same place; he was glad to know that some things never changed.

In all its pompous and pride the ship finally landed, and Morpheus and Link helped each other turn the switches off, leaving the ship dead for the time being. It would be fully regenerated in about 36 hours, and to get some well earned rest he had told his crew to be counting on 48 hours of vacation in Zion, unless something came up. Hopefully it wouldn't, Morpheus wanted to go outside as soon as possible; they had much to do, still.

They met up with Neo and Trinity who already stood and waited at the bridge, and they smiled as Morpheus and Link approached. Neo found his voice at once.

" Home sweet home, right?" And Link smiled back at him, sighing a happy, content sigh.

" No place like it…."