Chapter 11
...
Desire.
Neo can feel it in the air around them, in every silent moment… in every stare.
And yet, he wonders if he's just imagining it.
Because it's a weird balance of ease and unease, a scaring desire in which she seems to run away every time he tries to get too close. And yet, every time he tries to step back, he's pushed toward her again... like a magnet.
It makes no sense, and it's like an enigma, a labyrinth in which they want to lose themselves just to find each other again.
Neo glances at Trinity's poker face, thinking that the word has to be coined thinking about her.
Her stoic features don't betray any emotion.
"I'll call, and I raise you 20,"
Neo shakes his head in defeat at Trinity's words.
"Shit. I fold. You're too good in this" Neo says, throwing his cards on the table as Trinity licks her lips, still staring at him, "Can you forget what I said, and let me win one hand? For giving me back a little of my man pride at least" he adds as she lets out a chuckle this time.
Neo can't help but chuckling in turn, despite his hurt ego, and his eyes move from Trinity's eyes to her lips, and then up to her eyes.
...desire...
Trinity looks away for an instant, and bites on her lower lip, then showing him a double pair. A meager double pair.
And she laughs at the look on Neo's face. He's clearly incredulous, and he gives her what should be a glare.
"You're evil"
She smiles again at his words. A sincere smile which makes her eyes brighten. And she just collects the cards from the table.
"Think ahead," she says "One of the most important poker skills is thinking ahead, which means predicting what your opponents will do and planning your moves accordingly" she doesn't look away from Neo's eyes as her quick fingers shuffle the cards "Thinking strategically is essential to keep your opponent's off balance and prevent predictability from creeping into your game" she cuts the deck, and shuffle the cards again "it's a mix of discipline, emotional control, adaptability, analytic reasoning, patience, attention to details, confidence, focus, risk assessment, strategy," she shrugs "ironically it's not different from what you needed to survive in the Matrix"
Neo is still looking at her, mesmerized.
"You make it sound easy"
She shrugs again.
"I had a fifteen year training,"
She smiles again, like underestimating her skills, even if he has the feeling she was that smart even as a teenager. Shit, she cracked the IRS D-base when she was just a child after all!
"Did I ever win a hand with you, in the past?"
Her confidence seems to waver for an instant.
"Sure you did. I'm not invincible, nor in poker nor in the Matrix" she replies, and she can't help her mind from going back to the time in which her skills hadn't been enough to dodge the bullet which entered her middle section.
... 'Trinity, I know you can hear me… I'm not letting go… I told you … I can't… I love you so damn much'…
… his lips on hers… the grip of their hands… the relief as they hold each other with their eyes…
Trinity has to swallow, biting hard on her lower lip when she realizes Neo is still staring intently at her.
"Er, do you want to play again or -"
Neo shakes his head.
"No, I'm done for tonight. I got nowhere," he says, somehow frustrated since she promised to answer one personal question if he wins, and he obviously didn't "and you kind of hurts my pride, you know?"
Trinity has to look away this time, focusing in putting in a box the deck of cards still in her hands, and then standing up.
Neo stands up in turn, just looking at her as she puts the box back in a drawer.
It's weird how the air around them feels thick now, he can almost touch the sudden tension.
"I didn't mean to hurt your pride anyway" She says, turning to him.
Her blue eyes meet Neo's dark eyes. Pretty dark eyes. Sort of puppy pretty dark eyes. And she'd like to be able to resist that kind of look from him. And to be able to stand such a closeness to him. He stands a foot from her, and she's conscious than she'd be bothered from such a trespassing of what is the social distance, if it comes from anyone else.
"Did you make that promise just because you knew I had no chance playing with you? Neo asks, giving her a serious, but hurt look.
Trinity's still looking at him, doing her best not to look away, but giving up and escaping his gaze this time.
"Er, no, but… fine, go on, what do you want to know?" she tentatively replies, and in that exact moment she can catch it, the little glimpse which suddenly runs in Neo's eyes, and the teasing smirk which follows a second later, despite his attempt to keep it back.
"Shit. Was it a bluff?" A smirk plays on Trinity's lips in turn, mirroring his "Shit," she curses again, smiling this time "You fooled me!"
He chuckles at her contagious smile.
"I learned from the best"
Her smile grows larger and she can't help looking down at his lips, before moving her eyes back in his.
She catches him doing the same as their eyes meet again.
"Fine. I owe you an answer to a personal question, then" she says in a low voice as her throat suddenly turns dry "and it was not a game on equal terms after all"
Neo's eyes move on her lips again, and he inhales at how her lips part.
"Neo,"
It should have been an exhortation to going on and asking, but her voice exits in a purr, definitely more seductive than she intended.
Neo's eyes are still in hers.
"How many odds to have my face punched if I kiss you now?"
Neo's voice is low and soft this time, and Trinity's lips close just to allow her to swallow.
"Is this your question?" She asks in turn, clearly doing her best to stay in control of that situation.
But she's not so stoic like she feigns to be.
And she can feel it. The tension, the desire, the lust... it's just waiting there, to burn them, to unite and destroy them.
She wants to kiss him, and being kissed... and yet she knows they won't be able to stop just there.
Neo's hand moves almost imperceptibly to touch her hand, and she exhales at his touch, unable not to lean in his light caress. The dilated pupils in the blue of her irises are not something she can hide from him, and she swallows again at Neo's very dark eyes… his pupils as dilated as hers.
Neo's desire is tangible now... clear in the sound of his breath… and yet, she can't, she can't allow herself to be just a one night stand.
"Er, Neo... I- ..."
It comes just in a whisper, but her hesitation is clear in the bare sound of Neo's name… and Neo just looks down at Trinity's mouth again. It's not really reluctance or unwillingness, but vacillation is still something that doesn't fit the usual attitude of the Captain of the Genesis. And it's Neo the one swallowing this time. Their eyes meet again as he lets go of her hand and moves back, even just of a few inches at first, then he takes a step back. And yet… she's giving him conflicting signs again… a mix of sorrow and inner conflict is now clearly visible in her eyes.
"I'm sorry… " He says, his eyes still mesmerized in the blue of hers "I shouldn't have to-" he stops at how she exhales deeply, clearly struggling against her own will and needs. And instinct.
"I just..." she gives him a painful look "I'd like it would be easy," she says, being the one to touch his hand in a very light caress this time "I'd like you could understand…"
"Explain it to me then,"
Neo's voice is so soft that Trinity willpower definitely wavers this time. Because it's clear, it's fucking clear that she's trying to make rational what is definitely not rational. And for the first time in her life she feels like the more she tries to keep her feelings at bay, the more they try to come to the fore anyway. She spent her entire life hiding her feelings to anyone, succeeding in hiding them to Neo too when they first met on the Neb. Why can't she do it anymore? She feels completely exposed now… and it's disorienting…
… the look in Neo's eyes is disorienting…
… the same look he gave her when he woke up after her love declaration, unconcerned about the destroyed Neb all around them… when he had been the one kissing her. A long, deep, breathtaking kiss. It had been so natural, exactly like the lovemaking which had come in their first moment alone… tender and passionate at the same time, and intimate and deep… so natural and genuine and instinctive… so easy. Thinking back to it it was so clear, so damn clear… and yet …
… "What do you want us to be now, Neo?"… Neo's fingers stop the caress on Trinity's forearm. Her head is on his bare chest, in the afterglow of their lovemaking. Easy... Letting go to passion it had been easy, on that time, no matter what could come after… there were no promises yet, no commitment… after all she was conscious, from moment one, that the Oracle told her that the man she loved would be the One… she said nothing about the One would love her back "I told you that I love you… you didn't- "…
… "-tell that I love you back?"… Neo's hand lifts Trinity's chin to look into her eyes (...and she can still hear Neo chuckling now)… "Who is the not very bright one, Lieutenant?" he adds, reminding the Oracle's words as Trinity's lip set. He smiles, touching her lips with his thumb, and the look in his eyes is enough to make her inner muscles clenching again "I don't know what you want us to be, but I know what you are for me, Trin," his voice is low "you're a coworker, a superior actually," he pauses, waiting for the effect of his words, clear in how she tries to look away, just to be forced to meet his eyes again by how his hand cups her face… "my partner in crime… my unpaid therapist… and the reason this new life is bearable… the reason why it worth waking up in the morning… the reason why I'm ready to give my life…"
Trinity's free hand moves up to Neo's face, and her knuckles graze his cheekbone in a light soft caress.
She'd just want it to be that easy this time too. And yet it can't be… not after all what they went through… not carrying his child… she can't risk being just a pleasant diversion…
… "I love you so damn much…"
Again… desire… and conflicting signals…
She sighs again, averting her eyes from his this time and her touch loses the contact with Neo's skin.
He takes her hand in the exact moment, keeping it exactly where it is, on his own cheek. Their eyes meet again as Neo's palm find Trinity's and his thumb grazes hers almost imperceptibly, but not enough to prevent her from closing her eyes at the feeling of that bare contact. She sighs once again.
"You didn't answer my question yet" Neo whispers, as for a second he just leans in the contact of their joined hands, wanting nothing else than getting lost in it "I should have just taken the risk" he whispers again, seeing a glimpse in the blue of her eyes, like an unspoken "Yes, you should have just kissed me" .
Again, is he imaging it?
They're still staring at each other when suddenly the mess door gets open wide.
Both Neo and Trinity straighten their back, taking half a step back, like teenagers caught in the act, and Ghost's eyes widen, despite his attempt to look unaffected by what he just interrupted.
"Er…" he clears his throat, doing his best to keep his voice detached and professional, despite the incipient guilty already burning inside his stomach. He doesn't say it out loud, but a 'sorry, Sis' is clearly visible in his eyes "We got a PAN PAN from the Mjolnir," he says, trying his best to act just like the second in command now, looking from Neo to Trinity "Link's already trying to contact them"
A 'shit!' escapes Trinity's mouth as she suddenly turns in her military mode. Her eyes move from Ghost to Neo. His eyes are the ones of someone who has no idea of what 'a pan-pan' means.
"An urgent assistance request," she explains to him, "not an immediate danger though, or the crew would have called a MAYDAY. So… an engine failure, or a lack of fuel, maybe"
Neo looks at Trinity as she runs a hand on her forehead, and she looks at Ghost again, exchanging a conspiratorial look with her first mate.
"In both cases it means we'll probably need to convoy them back to Zion,"
Trinity just nods at Ghost's words. It means that, wanting it or not, they'll have to back in Zion earlier than she hoped. And… Shit! She never believed in Fate, but it looks like it has sense of humor anyway.
Neo looks at Trinity once again mesmerized in the power he can feel around her.
The way how she can shift from a moment of extreme vulnerability to being back in charge, focused and determined and a total badass, is extraordinary.
He wonders if it can due to some sort of imprinting thing, since she's the one who freed him from the Matrix, and the first person he met in the real world (as far as he remember at least), but he can't really help but looking at her like she's the most extraordinary woman he ever met.
Trinity just swallows as she meets Neo's look again, suddenly turning her gaze to the door as Oak appears on it.
"They confirm a lack of fuel, Ma'am" Oak says "they should wait, but they have a white-code poddy who needs to be in Zion as soon as possible"
Trinity nods again, then meeting Neo's interrogative look again.
"A child just freed from the Matrix, who needs medical help" she explains again.
"Both the Orion and the Poseidon are 3 days from them. We're the closest ship," Oak adds, like if something needs to be added actually, and Trinity just turns to look at him again.
"Tell them we're already arranging for assistance"
Oak bows his head in a deferential nod, exiting the room quickly with a 'yes, Ma'am', and Trinity just exchanges another conspiratorial look with Ghost instead.
Of course they can't ignore the help call of the Mjolnir, even less if they have a medical urgency on board.
.
Less than a couple of hours later the Genesis lands at security distance from the Mjolnir.
"Trinity," Link calls from behind as Trinity turns to him "The asshole will meet you here in a few minutes," he says as Trinity's lips set, apparently upset by Link's epithet to a higher rank officer, but holding back a smirk instead. She clearly bites on her lower lip in order not to let her smirk growing larger.
She should be supposed to scold her operator, but she just turns to Neo again instead.
"Captain Roland," she explains holding back her smirk by wetting her lips this time "Captain of the Mjonir. He's not one of the nicest person you'll meet"
"Too kind," Link says again from behind her, but Trinity decides not to give Link a free hand, and she doesn't reply to his comment. After all she doesn't forget that Roland refused to help them, when Neo asked to take his ship.
They all stop as they hear the steps along the ladder.
A tall man in his early fifty appears a few seconds later. Greying hair. Hair-boiled features. And from his red sweater there's no doubt he has to be 'the asshole'.
A younger man follows behind him. Shaven hair, that had to be dark blonde according to his eyebrows, and blue eyes.
Neo don't miss how those blue eyes immediately look for Trinity (her eyes still on Roland instead), and it's quite obvious the guy has to be one of the many who hit on Trinity just to be told to get lost, according to Link's words.
"Roland, Colt,"
Trinity greets, as Captain Roland nods, taking Trinity's hand and giving her a strong shake.
"Trinity," Roland greets in turn "thank you for your help. I really appreciate it,"
She just nods.
"I never refuse a help request, Roland" she says, giving him one of her icy blue stare, despite her apparent polite greeting. And Link can't help but notice the subtle piercing reference, hidden under her words.
Roland seems to catch it, but doesn't reply to the provocation, bowing his head a little in what could be both another thanks, or an unspoken admission of guilty.
Hhe just looks from Trinity to Neo, a few steps behind the Captain. And he takes a few steps toward him.
"I still can't believe it," he says approaching Neo and stretching a hand toward him.
Neo just glances at Trinity, then giving a sort of awkward look to the Captain of the Mjolnir. He's smart enough to get that he's referring to him being alive, or having put an end to the war... after all he has to get used to this.
He takes the hand Roland's stretching toward him and shakes it.
"Sorry, I don't-"
"Yeah, I heard about your memory," Roland says "I hope we'll be able to hear from you what happened there soon," he adds as Neo just nods "but, in the meantime, well… thanking you is the least I can do"
Neo replies with a nod, feeling a little unease, but pleased anyway.
"Easy being a believer now!" Link says, in a little too harsh tone, gaining a sudden glare and a scolding 'Link!'from Trinity, even if, from the look in her eyes, it's clear she was thinking exactly the same.
Captain Roland's look somehow softens, instead of hardening, and he almost smirks, giving Trinity what is a 'it's fine, let it go' look.
"Yeah, it's fair after all," Roland says meeting Link's eyes this time. He was there too when he refused his ship to Neo and Trinity, and he was there when Niobe gave them her. He glaces at Trinity and then back to Neo "I owe up to my faults," he says "and, believe me when I say you freed my mind a second time"
A ship is a confined space, and yet it's unbelievable how people can find the way to disappear in there anyway. How Trinity can find the way to disappear anyway. She didn't disappear actually, she had been busy in working both on the Mjolnir and on her own ship, and yet Neo can't help the feeling that she's somehow running from him.
Maybe he's really beginning to be paranoid. But, maybe it's just a coincidence, maybe it isn't… he hasn't been meeting Trinity from what happened in the mess hall the previous night.
And, shit, is he really freaking out after 24 hours without her?
What's going to happen as soon they'll dock back in Zion? Because it's gonna happen sooner than he thought, 3 or 4 days according to the rumors he heard in the core from both Link and Oak, and he's beginning feeling definitely anxious about that.
Neo turns and tosses in his bed, awake and agitated to the point he considered getting up and knocking on the Captain's door. It'd do it if he didn't fear to be considered a stalker. Maybe it was her way to tell him to get lost, like she did with the others who hit on her. And yet, he remembers the look in her eyes… and it doesn't matter if she didn't let him kissing her (she didn't, did she?), she didn't push him away either.
Neo turns and tosses again, in a single bed which feels even smaller tonight.
Why didn't he just close the distance between them and kissed her? Such an idiot! It would have been worth the risk!
Maybe he should have just avoid her from thinking too much about it… somehow forcing her a little into that. But, no, he's not that kind of guy.
He sighs loudly, turning and tossing once more. It's going to be an agitated night.
... kiss me... once more... kiss me...
Neo wakes up with a start, moving a hand on his sweated forehead and looking around in the darkness of the room. He's drenched in sweat to the point that his T-shirt is practically glued to his skin.
It's just his own bedroom on the Genesis and yet he still feels like being somewhere else.
Where? ...well, he can't tell.
He just remembers sounds and sensations and darkness all around. It's like being blind, where every sense is pushed up at its edge. He remembers the rough surface of the ground, like walking on all fours, feeling metal and dust and debris under his palms. He remembers a laboured breathing and the touch of a hand... the grip of his own hand around that hand. He remembers relief turning in fear and sorrow. He remembers the moment in which the graze of his own lips on soft lips turns in a last breath. A last kiss.
Neo urges to sit up, suddenly feeling like he has difficulty in breathing as he can almost feel that last breath against his own lips, once more.
The woman in that dream... or memory... has no face. And he feels like he's going crazy.
He needs to move out of there.
Why everything feels so familiar and unfamiliar at the same time?
When he enters the mess hall Kid greets him with a friendly 'Hi, Neo' that reaches his ears in the form of the mumbled sounds of someone who forgot to swallow before speaking, and he replies just with a nod and a gesture of his hand.
Actually for an instant he had hoped none was there.
As he turns his head toward the counter he meets Trinity's eyes. Her eyebrow furrow lightly, in a worried look.
"You ok?" She asks without greeting him in turn.
Neo shakes his head in what is a 'no', but he doesn't adds anything else and just sits down at the table.
"Wait, I'll get your breakfast"
Kid hurries to get up to arrange for his idol's food and Trinity just looks from the one to the other one as a bowl and a smoking cup are set in front of Neo. Neo just thanks the boy with a nod.
No sign of his usual attempt to dissuade Kid from being a sort of minion.
It's clear that something's wrong. And she would be a hypocrite if she didn't feel guilty for what happened two nights before, and for having practically avoided him for a full day after that, clearly hiding behind her duty. She knows he deserves an explanation as much as she knows time for hiding thing is gone at this point. He's gonna know about their relationship as soon as they dock, it's just matter of time by now… she just has to find the right way to do it… the gut to talk to him.
"Neo," Trinity tries again in her best nonchalant and calm tone as Neo doesn't look up at her like she would have expected "if it's because of what happened 2 nights ago, I-"
"Not everything's about you, Captain" Neo replies in a cold and sharp tone before she can finish the sentence. She's taken aback by the rage in his voice. Rage... or frustration maybe.
And yet, it wasn't rage what she saw in his eyes on that night.
"What then? Did you get out of the wrong side of bed?" She glares at him, doing her best to calm down though "Neo,"
Neo suddenly stands up, almost overturning the bench in that too quick movement.
"Stop calling me that way!" He replies again, as sharp as before as Trinity glares at him this time, and her arms cross in front of her chest.
"Let's listen, how should I call you then? Thomas?"
Her tone is hard and sharp in turn.
Her piercing eyes are even bluer than they use to be.
Icy, authoritative blue eyes.
Stunning beautiful blue eyes.
Neo has to look away for a moment for the hardness of her stare. And for what that stare of Trinity moves down in his lower abdomen.
For an instant he regrets having been too hard. In the thickness of the air around them he can now recognize hurt mixed with the fierceness of Trinity's words. And no, he's definitely not Thomas, not anymore.
"No," Neo meet Trinity's eyes again "I meant... I don't need that caring tone, like you know what I'm going through! You have no idea!"
Neo's tone is hard again, and Kid looks from the one to the other one, with the same disoriented look of a child who's witnessing an argue between his parents.
Trinity apparently doesn't get perturbed from Neo's words, despite for how she bites on the inner flesh of her lower lip and her jaw tights. If it was up to him he would be totally scared by that stare from the Captain, but Neo just holds her look instead.
Trinity stares back at Neo and her eyes don't move, not even when she speaks to Kid. Her arms still crossed in front of her chest.
"Kid, leave us alone, please" she orders as Kid looks down at his still half-full bowl "Go and help Link. Take your bowl with you"
The boy seems to ponder his Captain's words. Who knows, maybe it's some sort of test...
"Er, it's not allowed to take food in the main desk, ma'am" he says as this time Trinity turns to look at him.
"I'll do an exception" she says "Leave Neo and me alone, and tell the guys I don't want to be disturbed"
He nods this time, giving another glance to Neo. He takes his bowl and walks to the door. If it wasn't for the tension of the moment Trinity would have smiled at Kid's face, like he's afraid of leaving Neo there, in trouble, with her.
As soon as the door gets close again Trinity sighs loud.
"If it's not about me... what the hell is going on?" She asks, her tone between exasperation and worry this time.
"You tell me!" He replies as Trinity's eyebrows furrow again.
"I don't know what you're talking about"
It's true, she has no clue about what happened to him.
He holds her gaze.
"I don't know who I am. I have dreams and pieces of nonsense memories. And it's driving me crazy!"
Neo's hand moves in his still very short hair, giving her an exasperated look.
"I'm tired of this shit, Captain. It's my life. You have no right to do it, to take decisions in my place. Whatever you're doing isn't helping at all"
Trinity's eyes stare at him but it's like a lot of thoughts pass in front of them.
"Neo, you're just confused now. Forcing things never helps. After whatever you went through, you need time. And I was just doing that... giving you time"
Neo's eyes glare at her.
"I'm not more confused than you are, Captain" Her eyebrows furrow at his words "Time didn't work for you, so don't tell me about the damn time"
Trinity's lips part and she's totally and really confused now.
"What's on hell are you talking about?"
"It's been months and you're still grieving over your dead boyfriend" He presses her now, and he takes a step forward, so that he's exactly in front of her, almost towering over her. It's obviously not enough to intimidate her, but she has to swallows "It's the proof time isn't the answer"
Trinity stares at him. Once again it's the same subject.
"You have no idea what you're talking about, Neo..."
Her tone is clearly hurt this time.
"Yeah. So, tell me!"
Blue eyes stares at him, painfully, beautiful blue eyes.
"Please" Neo adds as Trinity's pupils dilate lightly.
It's clear she's torn this time, divided if telling him or not. Trinity's jaw tights as she's forcing herself to keep her composure.
She's struggling against herself, against her doubts... and fears. She's conscious it's time to give up, but she doesn't know how doing it.
"I'd like to be able to find the right words, but I can't..."
Neo's eyes soften a little this time.
"Why not? Because it's - 'complicated'?" He asks with and hint of sarcasm in his voice repeating what had been her words.
She's about replying, but Neo goes on before she can do it. And he takes another step toward her almost closing the distance between them. She doesn't step back.
"Do you know what's complicated, Captain?" Neo's dark eyes are right in hers "You"
Trinity's eyes widen. She really has no idea what he's talking about now.
And he takes her completely by surprise.
"Complicated is having a crush on the most stunning woman I ever met when she's still in love with her dead boyfriend... Complicated is having fallen in love with a woman who's carrying another man's baby, and don't giving a fuck about that... Complicated is not knowing if I can tell this to her without being punched hard in the face, even more since I don't know if I should be still mourning over my own girlfriend's death, instead"
Trinity's mouth open on the last words, still so confused from Neo's words that she's not sure she really understood them correctly.
She gets suddenly paler, like blood has been drained from her body.
"Who told you... this?"
Neo gives Trinity a questioning look. Not what he expects her to say after he just told her of being in love with her.
She's pale like never before and pallor make her eyes looking bigger.
"I had a nightmare... about her death. About mourning over her motionless body..."
Trinity's eyes are still on Neo's and they seem even bluer.
She swallows hard and her hand moves for an instant on her stomach.
"You can't see her"
It's not a question, it's a statement. And Neo shakes his head, confirming her words.
"I can't see anything. But I feel her... and her blood soaking her clothes… I feel it under my palm,"
Trinity stares at him as her hand instinctively moves from her stomach to her left side, at the thought of his palm feeling her wounds.
He can't remember her... he was blind there. She remembers him though, and his relief turning in fear and sorrow at the realization of the seriousness of her wounds.
... "What is it? Trinity? What's wrong?"
... "I can't go with you, Neo. I've gone as far as I can."
... "What?... no, no, no, no..."
She has to inhale and then exhale slowly. She can't let herself go to that memory now.
"I know I should maybe still grieve over her death, but it's like watching just a little piece of a puzzle... I don't remember nothing about her...about us..." Neo says again "and I don't know if I felt for her what I feel for you now, but... I well know what I feel for you. And I love you. I love you, Trinity, through and through..."
... "... being the One is just like being in love... nobody can tell you you are in love. You just know it. Through and through. Balls to bones..."
The world spins in front of Trinity's eyes, so much that she's not fully aware of the position of her own body in the space around her anymore. Her heart is racing in her chest. Her ears buzz.
She never experienced a fainting, but she knows it's probably what's about happening.
She exhales deeply trying her best not to sway.
"Er... I- I need to sit down"
Her hand trembles as it reaches out for the table for support, but she succeeds in sitting down before her legs can give up.
"Trinity?"
Her eyes close for an instant and her hand presses on her lower abdomen now.
"Trinity!"
She hears Neo's voice but she can't focus on him now. Her belly tenses even more, and pressing a hand on it is not enough to sooth pain this time. As much as she try to focus on breathing she can't help the moan which escapes her throat.
Sitting is not enough anymore and her head spins again, stronger.
"Shit. Lie down!"
Neo's voice. And she feels his arm wrapping her body and forcing her to lie down on the bench.
"Trinity"
"Neo," she whispers throughout laboured breathing "I'm sorry," she has to close her eyes, then opening them again on Neo's worried look "I should have told you..."
"Shhh," he tries to calm her down "Just breathe, now, I'm taking you in the med bay"
She feels one of Neo's arm moving under her knees and the other one slips under her shoulders.
"Neo, she's..."
Trinity's aware of the moment in which she's scooped up in Neo's arms.
"... I don't give a fuck about her now, Trin..."
She can't say if Neo used her pet-name or if unconsciousness comes before she could hear her own full name... and everything goes dark.