Chapter 11
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You made a choice, now you have to understand it
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"Apoc?"
Apoc plugs a coupler and looks up from the electrical panel, stopping midair the screwdriver in his hand, and meeting Trinity's eyes.
"A short-circuit. Nothing serious. I replaced the device coupler. Tell Morpheus it's short-circuit-proof now" Apoc gives her a quick look and then turns to the panel, fixing the last screw "Done!"
"Good" she just replies in a flat tone "But, actually I'm here to ask if you can borrow me one of your elastic band"
He turns, giving a thoughtful look to Trinity's hair. It's a little longer than the very short hair-cut she used to have in the past, sign that they spent so little time in Zion lately that they all hadn't had time for a good hair cutting neither. Same reason way his hair has definitely grown so longer that a ponytail isn't enough anymore and he has to tie it in a bun. She doesn't like long hair instead, or she just think short hair is more convenient. Well, actually it is. And that's why both her and his girlfriend don't bother about having to cut their hair themselves when they get no choice.
"Why do you need it? Isn't your hair still too short for a ponytail, after the wild haircut your friend here gave you?"
Switch's loud and annoyed sigh comes from behind Apoc's back, before Trinity's reply. She's kneeled on the floor, her fingers running through plugs, socket-outlets and couplers..
"Just give her that damned band, Ap. Why have you to be such a pain in the ass."
Apoc raises both hands in surrender, then running his fingers through the elastic bands he uses to wear on his wrist like bracelets, pulling one out.
"Don't you have another best friend to introduce to me, right?"
He smirks, giving an amused look to Trinity as she reaches out for the elastic band in Apoc's hand.
"I have a dear single friend actually" She replies with a serious look, but keeping back a smirk in turn "If you like something er...different... he's the one sitting in the operative station right now." She lets out that smirk now at Apoc's look as he clearly tries to erase from his mind the image of having sex with Tank. Apoc rolls his eyes at her.
"As much as my girlfriend here likes that kind of sexual approach too" He says giving Switch's buttock a squeeze, "I'm on old fashioned man"
Trinity makes a face.
"Oh, please. Can you don't give me the details of your sexual life, please!"
Apoc laughs
"Yeah, like I buy she didn't already tell you all the most scandalous particulars"
Trinity sighs
"Not that I ask her about though"
Apoc lets out another laugher as Switch literally pushes him out of the room.
She turns to Trinity as soon as Apoc disappears from their view.
"Are you ok?" She asks as soon as their eyes meet
"I'm fine"
Switch's eyes move down on Trinity's stomach.
"Er... and in there?"
Trinity just bends her head by side a little.
"Fine"
She just repeats as Switch gives her a little nod.
"Your tits are bigger"
Trinity's eyes widen at Switch's words and she looks down at her own chest this time. She's wearing a loose sweater and it doesn't show up nor emphasizes her breast actually.
"Do you think someone noticed?"
"In a crew of men?"
"Shit"
"You're lucky Morpheus has other tits in his minds, lately"
She's referring to Captain Niobe, obviously. Fixing the Logos is needing more time than they expected and they're hosting all the crew on the Neb.
Trinity sighs, one hand runs on her face and then through her hair, the other one moves on her back. The little arching of her back is enough to push her belly forward, showing her growing baby bump. It's not that little anymore and she can barely hide it now under her clothes. She hurries to straight her back again, hiding it again in the looseness of her clothes as Switch can't help but wondering if she keeps her breath every time she's near Dozer or Morpheus.
"I won't be able to hide it longer anyway" she says like reading her friend's thought.
Trinity lifts her own sweater. Her pants are unbuttoned and there's at least a few inches gap.
She puts the elastic band through the buttonhole, twisting it and rolling it up around the button, succeeding in keeping the two side of her pants somehow lied together.
"Trin, you should tell Dozer, and get checked. It's not safe, nor for you nor for the baby"
Trinity stares at her. It's weird from her mouth. Baby. And it makes it feels even realer. Isn't it just 'the thing in there' anymore?
"I can't. If he knows he'll have to report it. I can't afford it, and I can't ask him to lie for me, nor to risk his job" she says as Switch stares back at her, giving her friend a little nod "Till I feel the baby moving, I know he's fine"
"He?"
Trinity looks away at Switch's obvious question, then up at her again.
"Er... no, sorry, I don't know where that 'he' came from... it's... er... just some sort of gut feeling I suppose"
She feels definitely stupid. And she would expect Switch making fun of her. Of what clearly sounds like a ridiculous dumb 'mom-to-be' sensation. Instead, Switch's hand reaches out for her, unexpectedly touching her baby bump.
"Shit! Boy or girl, in both cases it's sure you don't need a paternity test here!" She chuckles at the double kick against her hand, stronger than she expected "Cool! Strong-stuff, you mini-One!"
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Trinity enters her bedroom giving a glance at the two men in there. They stop their talking and just look at her as she takes off her sweater, forcefully throwing it on the bed, then running a hand on her face and in her hair.
"Hey, you ok? I thought you had a meeting with Morpheus"
"Yeah, I thought so either"
She looks clearly annoyed and both Neo and Ghost know her well enough to know that is better not to push her when she is in such a mood.
"What is it?" Neo asks looking at her as her free hand moves on her back, stopping in there like to hold it, accentuating her baby bump. Not that she has to hide it in there.
She turns, giving him and Ghost a glare.
"Is there a chance men can use their brain instead of their cock sometimes?"
"Well, sis, I think it's a little too late for complaining about that now"
Ghost's look is serious as he glances at her belly with his unperturbed features, clearly making fun of her though.
Trinity's jaw clenches for an instant and she gives him another deadly glare, then she rolls her eyes at him as a little smirk plays on Ghost's lips.
"You're an idiot" she says as her features soften though, one of the corners of her lips curling up mirroring her brother's "I meant Morpheus," she clarifies "he completely hangs on Niobe's lips!"
Ghost and Neo look at each other.
"It looks like Niobe has better arguments than mine" she runs again a hand in her hair "I wonder who of them is the Captain in here now!"
They know what she means.
And even more they know how she can't stand losing her authority on the Neb.
As much as Niobe is a Captain, exactly like Morpheus, it's her the first mate in there, she's Morpheus' right-hand man, and she can't stand that the Logos Captain imposes her rank on her in there. Even worse, she can't stand Morpheus letting Niobe imposing her rank on her in there.
"Sis, you're probably overreacting. You know how Captains are like. Exactly like you know Niobe's a good Captain," Ghost tries as another glare comes from Trinity "A pain in the ass sometimes, but a good Captain"
He tries to lighten the subject but he doesn't succeed this time.
"Do you think I'm overreacting?" Her cold piercing blue eyes pierce his "Next step will be telling him that, if it was up to her, she would temporary discharge me, Ghost "
"You know she wouldn't. Exactly like you know she thinks very highly of you" they stare at each other "She's too wise to call your authority off in here."
She just stares at him, then she looks at Neo, and then away.
"Well, in the meantime she told him that he should try to put me on test in the training program. I have to be there in 15 minutes"
A few seconds of silence then Ghost talks again. His tone hesitant and questioning.
"And this is bad why?"
Another glare, and a sigh as she exchanges a look with Neo. Then she looks down at her own belly.
"What do you think?" she asks, lifting her eyebrows as he looks at her with a look that is a clear 'Oh, fuck! You meant... that!'
"I mean, I know I can control my own digital image in there," she sighs, looking down at her clearly grown baby bump "it's just harder to focus when I'm tired after a full working day"
"You can do it, Trin, don't worry" She turns to Neo at his firm and soft tone, and just nods despite how her lips clench
"Or just tell them you don't feel well enough to train. Morpheus is not going to push you"
She darts a glare to Ghost this time, giving him a look that is a silent 'do you know me or not?'
"I'm not going to give in to her, bro!"
He stares at her, serious eyes. It gets on her nerves sometimes how he never, ever, gets perturbed, nor loses his cool. Always so calm and stoic.
"It's not about giving in. Niobe's just worried about your health" Ghost tries again "How long she knows you? Fifteen years? You're not exactly known as someone who can be stopped by a mild malaise, and..."
Trinity's eyes widen at his hesitation.
"Ghost?"
Her look is both worried and questioning.
"And... what?"
Their eyes meet.
"And she asked me how it is that I'm not so worried about you instead"
Silence.
Trinity's look is a clear "shit!". She meets Neo's eyes, then Ghost's again.
"What did you tell her?"
Blue eyes stare in Ghost's stoic dark eyes.
""Where you see ideal things, I see— human, alas! All too human things"
She runs her tongue on her lips, holding back a smirk at Ghost's usual unperturbed facade. But she can see the sparkling of his eyes, the one who suggests an hidden smile. She gives him a nod.
"Nietzsche?"
"Who else?"
Another nod. And a smile. She takes his face with one hand and kisses his cheek, giving him a hug as he hugs her in turn.
"Ignore Niobe. Just care about my nephew or niece in there!" He says looking down at her belly, then heading to the door. He stops there, and turns before exiting "And you can't blame Morpheus, you're his right-hand man, but this time you can't stand up to the challenge with Niobe's right hand"
A smirk. A smirk which grows larger this time as he meets Trinity's look.
She makes a face this time, closing her eyes at the image which appears in her mind, and she shakes her head in a clear attempt to erase it.
"If she hears you I won't be the only one risking being discharged here, bro"
The hint of a smile plays on Trinity's lips this time as Ghost smiles in turn.
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"Trinity, if you-"
Trinity keeps back a rolling of eyes at Morpheus' words and just looks straight in his eyes.
"If I feel sick I get out. Yeah, I got it."
Morpheus just nods at her words and lies down, watching as she lies down in turn on her seat and Neo just gives a little squeeze to her hand. Their connection has something fascinating, like they can speak to each other even without words.
She inhales deeply and exhales slowly. Her eyes looks up at the ceiling, waiting for being connected.
... ... 'I'm not sure it's safe, Trin. And you should be checked'
... ... 'Neo'
... ... 'I'm just saying...'
... ... 'I know what you're saying...'
... ... He's staring at her belly, his hand on it, as her abdomen suddenly tenses on one side... and he can feel it, a sort of little bump under his palm. His eyes immediately meets hers.
... ... 'The head?'
... ... 'or the butt'
... ... A smile. Another smile.
... ... 'I'm not sure I want it to be a boy'
... ... Her eyebrows lift at Neo's words in a clearly questioning look. It doesn't make any difference for her, even if she still wonders why she always think to the baby like it's a boy. She doesn't know where that feeling comes from. But it doesn't matter. Boy or girl, she really feels like she has no preference about that.
... ... 'I'm not sure I want that you'll fall in love with another man'
... ... Her eyes soften, her tongue wets her lower lip and her teeth bite on it.
... ... She knows his joking or better playing with her. Exactly like she knows a small lip-to-lip kiss is never enough...
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"Trinity?"
...
... ... you'll fall in love and the man you love will be the One...
...
She turns to Tank and nods.
"Yeah. Sure. I'm ready"
She inhales deeply and exhales slowly. Her eyes looks up at the ceiling, waiting for being connected.
One moment later she meets Morpheus in the dojo.
Morpheus' hands fixes his usual white kimono as his eyes focus on Trinity's tense features.
It's been a long time since he's been there with her. How long? 5 years? More maybe.
He remembers training her in there, so many years earlier. His best pupil, except Neo, obviously. But his favorite, even if he isn't going to admit it in front of anyone. He definitely has a soft spot for her. It's not something sexual. He trusts her as much as he knows she trusts him. Sometimes he still wonders why she never took the chance to have her own ship. He knows how many times Lock offered her a ranking up. Exactly how many she discharged the Commander's offer. She could be a great Captain... exactly like she could have been the One he was looking for. For a long time he had been almost sure it was her. Till she had been to the Oracle...
"What's wrong?" Morpheus says in a worried tone as her blue eyes meet his.
Her lips open and close again and she looks around, then down at where her own black vinyl top tank and pants should be. There're just green glyphs instead... everywhere.
"Trinity?"
"Um... nothing's wrong"
...except that I can see your code...
"Focus!" He says giving her a serious look. "Stop me if you -"
"Morpheus!" Her firm tone stops him from telling her for the umpteenth time to stop him if she doesn't feel well.
Morpheus just gives her a nod as she swallows, then inhaling deeply.
She moves in a waiting pose, exactly like Morpheus does.
There they are.
Strong, fast, focused moves.
She quickly squats, dodging Morpheus' straight-legged kick as soon as his agonist and antagonist muscles contract to begin the move. A second before, actually.
"Whoa! She's even faster than I remembered!" Niobe exclaims looking at the monitor "I thought she was out of shape. How can she do that?" Her head turns to meet Neo's eyes but they're still focused on the screen. His arms folded on his chest.
Trinity's counterattack is so fast that Morpheus doesn't see it coming. Her heel hits him right in his chest and he falls behind, heavily hitting the floor.
"Fuck, she's great!"
Niobe's voice gets Neo's attention this time and the hint of a smile plays on his lips, but his eyes just meets Switch's eyes for a second and then quickly moves on Trinity's body at the sound of the ringing alarm from the screen above her seat.
Dozer's serious look just checks her vitals and his fingers move turning the alarm off.
"Trinity. Slow down. You're pushing too hard"
Morpheus stands up, fixing his kimono and giving Trinity an half warning half worried look. She's panting heavily for the effort, her hands on her flanks but she looks whatever but sick. She shakes her head at Morpheus' words.
"Then stop pushing me that hard, Morpheus!"
He chuckles this time and shakes his head in turn, like at an impertinent child.
It's true. It's action and reaction. There's no way she'll take things slowly or easy, not until he keeps pushing her, putting her on test.
"You're doing great, Lieutenant"
Morpheus says, looking as her features relax a little at his words.
"You're not that bad too, Sir."
She teases as one corner of her lips curls up a little.
They both opens their eyes again on the Neb, inhaling deeply as real air fills their lungs.
Morpheus quickly sits up, turning his head to watch as Dozer's hand presses on Trinity's shoulder, stopping her from sitting up in turn.
"You're dehydrated again" Dozer says as Trinity sighs and closes her eyes in frustration.
"I'm fine, Dozer"
"But you still have poor response to resistance training. You got in anaerobic range again. Your cardiac rate almost hit your maximal. You know you used training at 50% at most, Trinity"
"Yeah" She nodded, meeting Neo's eyes as he just stares back at her. And she can feel it actually. The lightly spinning of her head as her body tries to recover after the effort "But I'm fine"
"Not enough for my clearance for you to be back in the Matrix. Not yet. Meeting an agent in there wouldn't be safe"
"Doz, meeting an agent is never safe!"
The doctor meets Trinity's smirk and he smirks in turn, shaking his head. He releases the grip on her shoulder, letting her standing up.
She meets Neo's eyes again, and again no word exits his lips. He just waits for her and follows her in the galley.
One of his arm embraces her from behind as she fills her own cup of water and she tilts her head back leaning it against his shoulder.
She closes her eyes inhaling his scent as he kisses her forehead, embracing her from behind with both arms.
"You sure you're fine?" he asks as he can feel the increasing tension of her belly at the baby kicking inside her "I'm still not sure it's safe"
She should be bothered by his constant worries, instead a little smile plays on her lips.
"I risked actually... peeing in my pants" she says making fun of Neo's fatherly-to-be apprehension "you should try having someone kicking your bladder all the time!"
He smiles, kissing her temple.
"None noticed. You've been great, love. And great is an underestimating. You still got it!" He whispers on her skin as she chuckles at his words.
"Like riding a bike they say" she smiles, caressing his head, lingering in the feeling of his mouth against her neck "But your kid is now kicking like hell" She says massaging her belly with one hand and lifting the other one to caress Neo's hair as he keeps kissing the side of her neck.
"I think I can do something for calming down the little one" He says in her ear as she smiles and her hand finds his cheek, lightly stroking it.
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Trinity gives Neo a piercing look as soon as they enter their bedroom, taking off both her sweater and top tank in just one move. And she's not wearing a bra. It doesn't fit anymore since her breasts got a size, actually.
Her fingers finds the elastic band around the button of her jeans unfastening it, then letting them slide along her legs and stepping outside of them. Soon it won't be enough anymore and she needs a better solution to not walk around the ship in just her underwear. But it's not what it's in her mind right now.
Her eyes lock with his. Piercing blue in the dark of Neo's eyes.
And her fingers sneak under the hem of her panties, then slowly lowering them an inch.
It's too much for Neo to resist her. She's practically naked, back against the wall, silently shouting him to touch her, kiss her, take her.
His hand finds her cheek and his tongue hers in a deep slow kiss.
She sighs as his mouth leaves hers, then moving as Neo's mouth slides down her cheek and neck and between her breasts. Her lips just linger on her skin and moves down again on the line from her sternum to her navel. His hands finds her hips and his mouth moves down on her belly, letting there a trail of kisses. She moans softly and her head tilts back. Her eyes close at that feeling and her hand gets lost in his hair.
The 'I love you' he whispers on the roundness of her belly is something she can't describe. Exactly like she can't tell if he's saying it to her or to the little one in there.
Trinity's hand grips Neo's hair as he suddenly moves even down, his fingers lower her panties letting them sliding along her legs.
She gasps at the feeling of his warm breathing on her most intimate spot. And everything disappears. There's just her laboured breathing and his tongue pleasing her in the most skilled way.
She gasps and her legs begin quivering. Her hand grips his hair even more as the pure bliss of her orgasm bursts inside her.
"Neo,"
His eyes suddenly open at the pleading tone of her whisper.
"I need to lie down"
His worried look meets hers. As weak as amused. He smirks on her lips, then scooping her in his arm and laying her on the bed.
His hand finds her tense abdomen and caresses it.
She can see it, the worrying in his eyes, as he meets instead her teasing blue eyes.
"Don't worry. It's not that kind of contractions" she smirks, answering his unspoken question, lowering his hand till it's between her legs again. And he can clearly feel it, the spasm of her inner muscles in the aftermath of her orgasm.
He doesn't need to be asked twice. He moves on top of her. A push and he's inside her as her walls welcome him. It's inebriating and he knows he isn't going to last.