Chapter 10

I'll give anything and everything for you

.

"Trinity!"

She just turns to meet Morpheus' serious look and follows him as he leads her at the operator's station.

The code runs on the monitor in its familiar drips as Tank beats on his keyboard.

"I got nothing, sir. No sign of Niobe or Ghost. Nothing but blue pills"

Morpheus' arms are folded in front of his chest. Trinity's arms find the same pose out of habits, unconsciously highlighting the roundness of her abdomen. She hurries to uncross them and her right hand just massages the spot between her neck and left shoulder. Despite their unperturbed features both their stomachs twinge at what Tank's words could imply.

"I hope I'm wrong, sir, but..." Tank shakes his head, still looking at the screen and running the umpteenth research "...my gut says they're down"

Trinity swallows the incipient lump in her throat growing despite her attempt to hide it. It's not because of pregnancy this time.

"Sentinels?" She asks as Morpheus' head turns to look at her.

"A bomb. It got blown up before EMP were ready. Five ships got shot down. I don't know if the Logos was in there"

Trinity swallows again, fighting again the impulse of folding her arms tighter to her chest. Both her hands moves at the sides of her own neck instead.

"Morpheus, we should jack in and try to contact them " She says in a firm tone as her eyes move from the green glyphs on the screen to Morpheus.

"Yeah" Morpheus says staring at her as she just stares back at his piercing look "How do you feel?" he asks as she can't help but glance at Neo who has reached them and is standing a step behind Morpheus.

Neo's features tense at Trinity's 'I'm fine', and it clearly doesn't go unnoticed to her.

She can still feel his hand holding hers, his hand caressing her belly, in the silence of their bedroom, just a few days earlier.

... ... "Trinity, I can't lose you"

... ... "What if I asked you to stay out of this from now on, no matter what happens, to stay out of the Matrix"

... ... "The power to give life to a human being. A baby, born because of love, not because of rage or slavery. It's our real victory against machines, Trin. It's our 'forever'..."

... ... "I need you safe, in here... both you and our child"

... ... "Neo, I promise you, if I can, I will."

Neo's about to speak, but Trinity's answer comes faster than his.

"...but not enough for getting Dozer's clearance yet"

Her eyes meet Neo's. His features relax. And Morpheus gives an understanding nod.

"Exactly what I expected" he nods again "So, I'm going inside alone. I'm gonna run a quick hack from inside, trying to contact them. I need you in charge here. Do you feel fine enough to drive?" he says as Trinity just stares back at him, her eyebrows lift in a questioning look, even if her 'Sure!' comes loud and clear.

"From their last transmission, their ship should be close... and if it is, we'll find it"

Trinity nods.

"Search every pipe, every hole, every crack we know"

Another nod.

She can do it. Both driving and being in charge.

She's been better lately. Even morning sickness is beginning to fade, finally. Just being jacked-in is still an hard task. She still has difficulty in handling training in the Construct, so she's clearly conscious she can't risk entering the Matrix. It's like having an overloaded signal, well, actually because it's exactly what it is. The little one in her womb isn't so little anymore, and it looks like its growing nervous system is developed enough to be able to interfere with hers when she's plugged in, or better, when they're both plugged in.

She watches Morpheus as he gets jacked in, then she turns to the crew.

...Fine! Game on!

"All right guys, let's move with a purpose. The sooner the better," Trinity says giving a last glance at the drainage system map.

"Trinity, these lines are crawling with calamari" Dozer says in a worried tone. He glances at Morpheus, in his coma-like status on his seat, and she knows what he's thinking about. If they got in a sentinel attack they can't blow an EMP till Morpheus is jacked in.

"I'm gonna run on as few pads as possible "she says. If she's scared it can't be noticed, like every time in which she's in her military mode.

She looks at the crew, giving them instructions.

"Dozer, I want you on holographic. Apoc, Switch, I want forward and aft guns manned at all times. Neo, meet me in the cockpit"

Neo watches as the crew runs in their posts without complaining, and he just nods in turn. After almost an year together she still has the same effect on him. Even when, as ranking officer, she orders him around. Even after all they went through together, and carrying his child, she can scare the shit out of him.

... ... "I'm coming with you"

... ... "No you're not"

... ... "No? Let me tell you what I believe. I believe Morpheus means more to me than he does to you. I believe that if you are serious about saving him then you are going to need my help, and since I am the ranking officer on this ship, if you don't like it then I believe that you can go to hell, because you aren't going anywhere else"

An imperceptible smile plays on his lips at that memory, and he just follows her in the cockpit, watching as she sits down confidently and checks the monitors in front of her.

"Fasten your seatbelt" Neo says as she turns her head toward him and their eyes meet.

A smile plays on her lips at that caring reminder. A sort of silent way to say I love you.

Her hand silently reaches out for the seatbelt, buckling it up and realizing just in that moment that she needs to settle it under her belly in order to be comfortable. Her baby bump's clearly show up by the buckled seatbelt.

"Trust me" she just says with a warm and reassuring look "I know what I'm doing"

"I trust you with my life, Trin"

.

"We've found her"

Morpheus jumps on his feet as soon as he's unplugged, hurrying in the cockpit.

The Logos lies hidden; its hull is a lifeless shadow obscured by rubble and debris. It appears that a massive bomb exploded near the mouth of the small pipeline.

Morpheus has taken Neo's seat in the cockpit and he's now standing behind Trinity, as she drives as slowly as possible. Search-lights sweep over the Logos as the Neb glides overhead carefully maneuvering through the damaged opening.

"Dozer, are the thermals picking up any signs of life?" Morpheus asks in the transmitter.

"No sir. Nothing yet."

Holographic says the hull is intact, but the lights sweep over the still metal carcasses of several sentinels.

"Trinity, drop her down there and keep Switch in the rear turret" Morpheus says to her as there is a bright burst of electricity as current arcs out from the lower pads to the metal of the pipeline.

As soon as the ship bangs down, Morpheus is already up and heading for the ladder.

"Get a full diagnostic on that ship as fast as humanly possible"

The hull doors open and Morpheus is the first out, a high beamed flashlight attached to his lightning gun. Dozer quickly follows, scanning the dark skeletal remains of the bomb blast.

"Careful, Sir. The squids are sneaky bastards. Could be a trap."

Morpheus nods, but he's not listening. Apoc begins unloading various pieces of equipment. Neo's eyes meet Trinity as she leaves the engine idle.

"Stay here"

What exits Neo's lips is not an order, it's a plea. And Trinity just nods, just opening the EMP lid and arming it.

Tank hurries out with a lightning gun, trying to guard Morpheus. They pass one of the dead sentinels as cautiously Tank steps over to it and kicks it when there is a loud bang.

"What was that?"

"Over there!"

The light sweeps towards another loud bang and finds... Niobe.

"You can put that shit away boys. All she needs is a jump."

Ghost and Sparks crawl down from their hiding spot, up in the tangled briar of debris.

"Niobe" Morpheus seems, for a moment, caught between what he should do and what he wants to do. Wrapping her in his arms. Kissing her maybe.

"Are you all right, Morpheus?" she teasingly asks at the look in Morpheus' eyes.

"What? Yes, I just... We weren't sure what happened after, and I ... I'm sorry"

"No, it's okay. I'm happy to see you too" She smiles at his awkwardness, giving him a smirk actually and a mischievous look. And she heads off for the ramp.

.

Adrenaline. It's like a drug. It's addictive.

"Have you a little idea how much hot you are when you order people around, Lieutenant?" Neo teases whispering in Trinity's ear from behind her, as they enter their bedroom.

She doesn't turn to look at him, but she chuckles.

"Yeah, I feel hot" she replies in an amused tone, shaking her head, pulling her sweater over her head and tossing it on the bed, so that she's wearing just her undershirt now. Her baby bump's definitely highlighted when she wears just a fitting tank top and not an oversized sweater "just not the same kind of hotness you're talking about" she chuckles again, and her right hand massages her left forearm, to release the tension of her muscles from the effort of having had to manage a very heavy ship, making it flies as light as a feather instead.

Neo embraces her from behind, his hands meet under her breasts and then slide down on her belly, stopping on the roundness in there. Her baby bump can't go unnoticed anymore when she's naked, but it's still little enough to be hidden with large clothes instead, so he clearly understands why she kept her sweater on in the cockpit even if she was boiling in the heat.

"I like how you're showing it now" he says, kissing the side of her neck. His adoringly tone still surprise her, and it definitely has the power to melt her.

She smiles and her arm lifts to caress his hair, his head still in the crook of her neck.

She hums, in what is somehow a dissenting sound.

"But it's everything but hot" Trinity says in what should have to be an attempt to anticipate Neo's words.

"You'd be kidding!" he exclaims instead turning her head so he can look into her eyes this time, his lips find hers and the tip of his tongue teases hers.

And it's again another kind of hotness what she feels in her chest, and down, till her private parts. It's not one of the soft and caring kisses they shared in recent weeks. The ones in which she could feel he was restraining himself from doing anything more than taking care of her, like he was afraid of hurting her, of stressing her body more than how it already was.

"Trinity... you have no idea what I'd do to you right now"

She can feel it again, his hesitation, mixed with desire. Their eyes meet again and it's there, lust. His desire mirroring her.

"Show me!" She replies in the low and lustful tone he hadn't listened to for weeks.

His tongue finds hers again, deeper this time, and she can't help but moaning into his mouth.

He didn't mean to take her from behind, but passion grows so wild after too much time of abstinence that none of them care less about anything else that the need of being one again.

And her orgasm takes her so hard that pleasure almost turns in pain. Neo's arm is wrapped around Trinity's waist, preventing her from collapsing, as he comes into her, her throbbing walls milking every drop of him. He muffles his own orgasm against her back, then he kisses the skin between her shoulder blades.

Her breathing still laboured, she collapses on her stomach as soon as he loosens the grip around her body, and he falls over her, his weight pressing her against the mattress.

She gasps at that feeling, and he hurries to pull out, careless about doing a mess all around and immediately propping on his hands, then rolling at her side. Trinity inhales deeply and exhales slowly in what sound as a different kind of laboured breathing, but she's smiling, biting hard on her lower lip.

"Are you ok?"

Trinity turns on her back and closes her eyes as her hand finds her lower abdomen, her hand presses in there like to soothe pain. But again, she's smiling, and her tongue runs on her lips. Her hand finds Neo's nape, taking his head down and toward her lips in another kiss.

They would stay like this forever, naked and breathing in each other breath. But the last thing they need is being caught like this. You never know what can go wrong on a ship. An alarm, a sentinel attack... it's the reason why they always hurry to get dressed after making love.

So different from their habits in Zion. There they can stay naked in bed all day, not bothering getting dressed not even for having lunch.

Neo frees himself from her hug in what at first looks like an attempt to get up, instead he kisses the spot between her breasts, caressing her knees and silently exhorting her to unclose her legs to him again. She does it, but, still in the bliss of aftermath her blue eyes are both languid and questioning. After the kind of orgasm he's just given her, she's not ready for a second round. Neo smiles, like reading her eyes, and just places himself better between her legs, her sex against is chest as he puts his hands at both side of her belly, bending down to kiss her baby bump.

She knows it's probably just a coincidence, but the baby answers to his father's kisses with what feels like a somersault in her womb. And she can see it, Neo's smile at that feeling against his lips. Another kiss touches her skin, under her navel. And she can see it again. The changing in Neo's features as he does it. She can see the burden he's taking mirrored in his eyes... his fears darkening them.

"I swear, my little one, I'm ready to give anything and everything for you" his caress is a vow this time "For you to meet your mom in a few months"

One more kiss. A promise. "You're our 'forever', baby".

Neo's last words are an almost inaudible whisper. Like an intimate thought said just for the two of them. Himself and his child. But she can hear it.

Trinity's eyes close at that feeling and she inhales deeply. As her hand finds Neo's hair, the biting on her lower lip has a completely different purpose compared to a few minute earlier. And he feels it, the trembling of her body, once again a completely different trembling as compared to a few minutes earlier.

"Trinity?"

She doesn't answer, her teeth bite harder on her lower lip and her hand covers her eyes.

It's something she still can't do. Making someone see her tears. Making Neo see her tears.

She wouldn't cry... but she can't control her crazy pregnancy hormones. It's like every sensation is pushed higher, making difficult for her not being overwhelmed... difficult to control what she feels sometimes.

"Trinity, what is it?"

She wriggles from his grip and pushes herself in a sitting position. Her hand's still covering her eyes as the other one moves down under her baby bump, like holding it.

"I'm sorry," Neo's hand cups her cheek and he kisses her lips. She doesn't kiss him back, but she doesn't stop Neo's hand from covering her hand on her own belly "Whatever I did or said, I'm..."

Trinity's reprimand and scolding look pierces him this time.

"Don't you dare to do it again" her eyes are burning despite the tears still in there "Don't say it again. I know that you're supposed to save Zion, but beyond this, you don't know if you'll survive... I know it, but..." Her eyes pierce him again "I promised you to stay out of all of this, out of the Matrix, for the safeness of our child. I know I have to. But, now, swear... swear to me, Neo, that you'll give anything and everything for our child to meet both of us!"

Both Neo's hands find Trinity's face again. And she lets him kissing her lips this time.

"I'm never letting go, Trin. I promise" he whispers on her lips as she closes her eyes, making a few tears rolling along her cheeks, wetting Neo's palms.

Neo's mouth finds Trinity's in a deeper kiss.

It's again breathing in the same air. Their foreheads touch and their eyes speak the words they can't say out loud. She throws her arms around his neck, hiding her face in the crook of his neck and breathing in his smell. Her fingers dig in Neo's flesh like gripping to life and he holds her tighter.

As she finds his mouth again, a completely different look plays in the piercing blue of her eyes. Her hand presses on his shoulder and he's pushed back, mostly because he's caught by surprise than because of her strength. Their eyes meet again as soon as Neo's back touches the mattress. She straddles him, lust clear in her eyes once more, and he finds her hips as she finds his lips. Her tongue dancing with his erases everything... every thought, every quarrel...

He complains when she leaves his mouth, but it's just a moment. She stops a couple of seconds giving him an amused look at the clear feeling of his full erection against her. She can't say she's not aroused by how much he's showing he wants her. Again. And they both gasp as she takes him deeply in just one fast move, burying him deep down inside her to the hilt.

"Holy fuck, Trin"

Their eyes meet, dilated pupils in dilated pupils. He takes her face in his palms as she moves up and then down on him again, slamming against his pelvis so hard that they both gulp again.

The smirk she gives him is totally sexy, saying him she just wants even more of him.

Her back straightens as Neo's hands tighten the grip on her hips, then moving to caress the outer side of her thighs. Their eyes meet as he drinks in the view of her. She's a goddess to his eyes. The bright blue of her eyes, her hair grazing her face, her fuller breasts, her softer curves. He wants nothing else than loving her, pleasuring her, and sharing her pleasure.

She moves again, and again, her eyes still locked with his at every move, taking him so deeply that's like being swallowed by the heaven.

He'd like to have the strength to tell her to slow down, but he just wants even more of her instead. Spilling inside her once more as she moans his name.

A smirk plays on Trinity's lips as she just stares at him, mesmerized by his dark eyes and by the intense pleasure caused by the friction of their sexes.

He closes his eyes at the feeling of being trapped inside her, her hips just moving in a heady rotating movement, not letting him go though. He needs to focus as pleasure grows almost unbearable in his balls.

Trinity bites on her lower lip as she needs to focus in turn, in order not to moan louder instead. She likes to see the pleasure on Neo's face exactly like he likes watching hers. Her hands move on his chest, feeling his toned and strong muscles under her fingers. His shoulders, his biceps, his abs... she loves every single inch of him.

Their eyes meet again as his lids open and he can clearly see it... how much she wants him. Her eyes drop to his lips, licking her own like she's dying to kiss him, then locking with him again. He never thought about himself like a handsome or sexy man before he met her, but it's exactly how she makes him feel.

He moves under her, pushing himself against her and entering her even more if it's somehow possible. Her lips open and her eyes widen, then suddenly closing. Her lids squeeze and she holds back a moan.

"Neo..."

Words die in her throat.

It's pleasure pushed to a so high level that it almost turns in pain, distorting her features.

She bows her head... her lips part again but she holds her breath this time. No air nor a sound exit her mouth... her lids still squeezed.

"Trin?"

She can hear the hint of worry in his voice, his palm on her lower abdomen. In this moment even this caring gesture is arousing... she knows her belly is tense but what she feels now is whatever but pain, pleasure growing unbearable in her core.

Her hand finds his, moving it a little lower and pressing it above her pubic bone... a reminder of how deep he is inside her, like he needs to be reminded of it. He can feel it even more, exactly like she can...

Her head tilts back as her orgasm blows up triggering his. He lifts his back wrapping hers with one hand as the other one moves on her nape and hair, drawing her closer to him to find her mouth. She releases her breathing, exhaling deeply and then muffling her moans in his mouth.

He can feel her heart hammering in her chest, her walls still throbbing around him as she recovers, her breathing still laboured as a smile grows on her face.

Neo's smile mirrors her, it's a smirk actually.

"I'm definitely scared by how your hormones work now, love"

One hand is still on her nape, holding her tightly in there, the other one is now caressing her back.

And she smirks in turn, finding his tongue in another kiss.