All ideas are original, although they may have been duplicated by others over the time (hell, these thoughts aren't that profound)
but I began it right after I saw the film, FYI. The rating is for some naughty language and, yes, a love scene. Enjoy. Oh, by the
way, we can play "name this piece" if you'd like!

 The Big One

by Scottishlass and Centaur
 
 

Chapter 1
 

Death brings a stillness. A numbness, a denial. Makes you question your own existence, she thought. They'd parted
ways to grieve, allowing each other a scrap of dignity. All was communal on the ship except for this. A time to accept death, to
wrestle with your feelings before you shared them with others.

It was a strange mixture of sadness and joy; the loss of a family, the discovery of a hero. A newfound love. It was profound.

Trinity honestly didn't know where they were. Alone, most likely, numbing the pain with mundane daily tasks, or sleeping it
away. They'd shared a moment of silence together after the ordeal, covering the bodies without a sound, a tribute to a family
they would never have again. Morpheus had stood like a captain who'd gone down with his ship but was rescued against his
will. Tank stared blankly at the largest form, his brother.

"I'm going to contact Zion," their leader murmured after an unmeasured pause. "We have lost our crew. But we have found the
One." He did not look at them before departing.

Time slipped away; the stillness that comes with death set in.

Trinity sat quietly in Neo's cabin, gently running a damp washtowel over Neo's forehead. They had not parted company
since their captain had gone into hiding. He was sleeping, mentally exhausted. She ran the damp over Neo's forehead, wiping
away the last traces of sweat and grime. Absorbed in the task, she barely heard Morpheus approach.

He stood at the doorway, smiling for the first time in days at the picture in front of him. Almost like an old legend, Madonna and
child. She sensed him there, and without taking her eyes off Neo, she quietly spoke to her old friend.

"He is the One."

"I told you he was," he answered in his deep, baritone voice. "Now you are part of him."

Her liquid blue eyes broke away from her patient, her eyebrows drawn together. "I don't know if I can do this," she whispered
earnestly. "We barely know each other."

"Yet you are truly in love."

Morpheus remained in the doorway. "You need to spend some time together, Trinity. A time for thinking; a time for grieving.
Someplace peaceful, relaxing..."

"Not here," they said together, knowing the condition of the ship and the dangers that awaited them.

"Should we..." she began.

"No. You're not going back in there. Not yet."

She pictured herself and Neo in the Matrix, lying together on a secluded beach, hiking in the forest; hell, even eating dinner at a
cheap restaurant would suffice. Anywhere but here.

"You can't do this in the Matrix, Trinity."

"I know," she breathed. "It needs to be real." She looked back to Neo, stroking the short fuzz of his hair. "He at least deserves
that."

She allowed herself a glance back at Neo before joining Morpheus in the doorway. They embraced.

"I can't cry," she whispered shakily. "I can't even cry."

"It will come when it's right, Trinity. You have reason to grieve. But you also have reason to celebrate. It's hard to allow for
both emotions."

She nodded. "Are you okay?"

"I will be. In the meantime Tank and I are going to start repairs on the ship. Zion has deployed several construction modules to
help us rebuild, and they'll probably send a few mechanics along as well." He lowered his voice. "They’ll probably take the
bodies with them. They should reach us in a few hours or so. I'll wake you. Until then, try to get some sleep."

They embraced again before she headed back to the sleeping figure on the cot.

"And Trinity" said Morpheus said quietly before disappearing into the quiet depths of the ship, "thanks for finally telling him."

Trinity finished bathing Neo; he continued to sleep soundly. She covered him with a thin, soft blanket and laid down beside
him. She gently curled to his side, wrapping her arm around his middle, burying her face in his neck.

Sleep was not an option. The ship was now alive with the sounds of repair, most likely by Tank, who usually released his anger
with a torch and a hammer. It was dark save the emergency lighting, leaving her vision a ghostly black-and-white. Yet her
senses were bombarded with new, unreal sensations. She had never really been that intimate with a man before. Not in the real
world, anyway. Yet here she was, utterly real, lying on a gray cot in a dingy metal room, inhaling the scent of his skin. Neo. She
spoke his name in a hushed whisper, feeling her own hot breath against his pale skin. He stirred in his sleep, sighing.

She closed her eyes, remembering how they kissed earlier that day. It was the most unique sensation she'd ever experienced. It
wasn't one of those sloppy open-mouthed kisses she remembered from her pre-removal days, nor was it platonic. Neo had
defeated the agents, and they pulled him back just in time. And as the ship sat in darkness after the power surge, she released
him from the chair and he clasped her face in his hands, seeking her mouth. For the first time ever, she really kissed a man.
Gently, ever so softly, she moved her mouth against his ending the kiss by gently sucking his lower lip. Seconds later, the power
was restored and the crew made their way in to see if Neo was all right. They had eyes only for each other.

So this was love.

This oneness. It was almost overwhelming. Terrifying.

This is far from what I should be feeling now, she thought. I can’t even cry.

"Trinity..."

Her eyes opened as he spoke to her through the darkness. "You're here."

"Of course I'm here, Neo."

He moved to put his arms around her, trying to draw her close. The effort was exhausting.

"Shh," she whispered, lying him back down. "I'll stay here."

"I want to be close to you."

"Just stay like that," she whispered close to his ear, arranging herself more comfortably next to him. She propped herself up on
one elbow so she could peer at him through the dim light of the room. He opened his dark eyes to look at her.

"We did it," he whispered huskily. "We beat them."

"For now."

He kept his eyes open as long as he could, eventually letting his lids droop.

"How do you feel?" she asked tentatively.

"My head is pounding."

She rubbed his forehead gently. "I can imagine. What you did in there was amazing."

"I didn't do it alone, Trinity." He weakly smiled at her, not opening his eyes.

A long, sweet silence passed between them.

"Hey," he murmured, breaking the stillness, "will you do something for me?"

"Of course." Trinity smiled at him as she gently traced his face with her fingertips.

"Kiss me again. Kiss me like you did before."

"Neo...I don’t know if this is the right time..."

"Please..." He licked his lips tentatively.

She bent over him, cautiously, before lowering her lips to his and kissing him gently. He moaned, a barely audible utterance that
expressed everything she was trying to put into words. It was amazing. A simple kiss, mouth to mouth, a sensation that made
her heart pound furiously. So real.

She parted from him, staying inches away from his face. He opened his eyes, pupils adjusting to take her in.

"I love you," he breathed, taking Trinity's crumbling form into his arms. "Don't leave."

"I won't," she answered softly, snuggling into his side.

Trinity tried to follow Neo into oblivious sleep, but the best she could do was allow herself to be lulled into a peaceful state of
consciousness by the sound of Neo's shallow breathing. The ship still hummed, but Tank had moved elsewhere in the ship now,
allowing her some blissful moments of peace. The glow of the emergency lighting reminded her of something from her previous
life: candles. Somewhere between the worlds of sleep and awareness the remembered the flowery perfume of candles, their
light dancing on the walls of her dingy dormroom as she pored over programming texts. Good student by day; lone hacker by
night.

Memories tangled with dreams. That world, those college years, were so soft and full of a feeling she hadn't felt in several years.
The phone would ring; it was her mother again: "Hello, sweetie, how are you doing up there all by yourself?" All by herself,
alone, unnoticed by co-eds and professors alike. It didn't matter. She knew, even then, that there was more.

By day her world was hazy, soft and faceted, like the patchwork of dancing light that shown through the stained glass window
of her old church. Memories were scattered now, crumbling as each day out of the Matrix brought her more in touch with the
reality. The world was not soft, or even comfortable. It was a cold place of extremes and she, a soft, living body, was trapped
in this inescapable tomb of fire and steel. Somehow the loneliness of the Matrix was easier to handle in it's warmth; here the
need for companionship seeped in slowly and chilled her to the bone. But she knew deep down there really wasn't any other
place for her. Here she had a family. Now, only Morpheus, her father, her friend, and Tank, the brother who adopted her
during her first few weeks, were left. But they were alive, still alive, out of the tomb that held the collective human race prisoner.

Neo twitched and breathed in heavily, stirring her thoughts back toward the peacefulness of the now. The cot was getting
uncomfortable, sagging in the middle. It was definitely not meant for two. Why should it be? The type of human companionship
that would require a double bed was simply unheard of outside of Zion. Sure there were the occasional relationships, but they
used the makeshift beds for something other than sleeping. They were the front line, the men on active duty. Zion didn’t want
crewmates to get too attached to each other, simply because emotional soldiers are slow thinkers. And a slow mind will get you
killed.

The man sleeping in her arms twitched again, murmuring something she couldn't understand. She drew herself closer to him, and
as sleep finally took her, she wondered if she'd ever return to the city where candles still occasionally flickered.

"Do you remember fire?"

Trinity slowly opened her eyes. Neo was already awake, rolled on his side, facing her. "What, Neo?" she mumbled, shaking off
fatigue.

"Fire. Do you remember fire."

She propped herself up on her elbow to study him more closely. "Of course I remember," she replied, yawning, "I remember
almost everything. Why do you ask?"

Neo pressed himself closer to her. "I'm freezing." He paused for a moment. "It's awfully cold here. Cold in this ship. God only
knows what it's like outside."

"We don't go outside."

"Shit," he mumbled. "You know, I dreamt last night of fire. In a fireplace. I'd been in the city so long, I don't even remember the
last time I sat around a fire. Camp, probably, in the sixth grade."

He searched her eyes, looking desperately for understanding.

"I dreamt of a fire, inside, like in a cabin. And it was so cold outside, there was snow. Lots of snow. And inside the cabin I sat
by the fire. Crackling, popping..." He exhaled, rubbing his hands over his face. "I was alone. So alone. And then I was warm.
You were there and you held me. We sat for hours, talking, looking into the fire. You curled your arms around me and held me
close."

Her eyes welled with tears, she looked up to blink them away. "I don't even know you, Neo." She sniffed, feeling the blood
come to her cheeks. "I don't even know how it's possible to feel like this. I don't know that it's right to feel like this after all that's
happened here..."

"You know I'm scared to touch you," he said after awhile, avoiding her eyes. "Sometimes I'm even scared to even be by you.
I'm scared to touch your hair, your skin..." He reached to bring her face level with his. "I'm scared to feel you, Trinity." His
brown eyes searched hers. "When I'm with you I feel so much...I don't know." He blinked and averted his eyes.

"Neo..."

"God, Trinity..." He inhaled, shaking his head. "I can't tell you how I feel. I just feel...full. Full of you..."

Neo sat up, thinking, rubbing his hand over his shaved head.

"Shit, Trinity," he said at last. "I fall in love for the first time in my life with a woman I barely know in a fucked-up world that I'm
supposedly in control of... and I'm scared to even kiss her. 'Cause the instant I do she's gonna dissolve like the rest of
everything else in my life." His face cracked then, eyebrows scrunching and mouth crumbling in an expression of utter despair.
"God," he whispered, "I can't do this."

"You can, and you will, Neo," whispered Trinity sitting up to join him. She took his hands in hers and stared deeply into his
brown eyes. "I know you can."

"Trinity," he whispered, meeting her gaze, "you are so strong."

She smiled at him, and gently bit her lower lip.

"I know how you feel...about us," she eventually said, slowly reaching for his other hand. "I'm terrified. But I know this is real. I
can feel that it's real." Slowly, in a gesture of all-encompassing friendship, she held his hand to her heart. He could feel the burn
of her skin, the pounding of her heartbeat beneath her thin, tattered clothing. Her eyes never wavered, never left his, as she
proclaimed all that she felt: "I love you, Neo."

Neo awoke to the familiar grinding of the opening door. His eyes adjusted to the light; it was Tank.

Neo gently unwrapped himself from Trinity and joined Tank in the doorway.

"Hey buddy," Tank said hoarsely. His usually friendly greeting lacked its usual warmth. "How're you doing'?"

"Better than you, looks like," Neo responded, gesturing to Tank's bandaged shoulder.

"Doesn't hurt. I'm okay. Morpheus sewed me up. I'm beginning to wish I had some plugs, man. Could sit in a hot tub for a few
hours." He smiled a fleeting grin that dissolved as quickly as it came.

"Are you really okay?"

Tank paused, breathing in a heavy sigh. "I will be. I will be."

Neo placed his hand on the larger man’s shoulder. "I’m sorry," he said earnestly.

"I wanted to let you know that the repair crews have arrived," Tank began, trying to shrug aside his pain. "If you see Trinity, will
you let her know, too?"

Neo stepped aside. "She’s in here."

"Oh. Um, well, than you can tell her. I’ll be up in the core; Morpheus would like you two present for the...farewell."

Tank took one tentative peek into the darkness, looking for Trinity, before leaving.

Neo had sensed his uneasiness; Trinity and Tank were like brother and sister, and Neo could easily understand how unnerving it
must be for Tank to realize that one of his family members had found a lover. Neo repeated the word in his mind...lover...he
barely had a clue as to how to begin this relationship that already seemed so permanently established. He knew nothing about
Trinity's experience in the Matrix, or who she was outside of "red alert" mode. Shit, they'd barely had any time to talk. He'd
been unplugged now for how long? Less than a few months, he was sure. Time no longer had a meaning. He longed to sit with
her for hours, to see her smile, listen to her stories, kiss her lips... And when was he going to have any time for that anyway,
amidst this pain and suffering?

"Is this really necessary, Morpheus?" Trinity asked, sounding slightly annoyed.

"Yes. Don't fight me on this one, Trinity," said their captain, sounding less commanding than usual, his voice tainted with a
combination of sadness and fatigue. "You need some good peace and quiet. Plus, I'm going to be resting in there for a few days
and I need my first in command in the best shape she can be in. Understand?"

Neo sensed her discomfort and squeezed her hand under the table.

Trinity nodded, obviously displeased.

"Look," Morpheus began, his tone beginning to take on more authority. "You're not going in the Matrix, you're going in the
construct. You need some rest. Real rest, mental rest. Rest from this ship..."

He turned his solemn eyes toward Trinity. "Trinity, you and Neo have been working non-stop the past few days, despite the
fact that I ordered you to let the repair crews do their job. I think you two need some time just to talk without me and Tank
running about this ship."

He thought deeply and chose his words with care. "Besides, I could use some time to myself. I need some time...to
say...goodbye."

Trinity nodded, understanding.

"So you're going, just for a while, and then you're coming back. No arguments."

"I don't see how this is going to help," Neo whispered under his breath to Trinity as Morpheus stood to leave.

"Neo," called Morpheus over his shoulder, "what's good for the mind is good for the body."

"Where to, captain?" Tank asked Neo.

Trinity answered for him. "Cabin by the Pacific. Evening. May."

Neo raised his eyebrow before the powerful electrical impulses overtook him.

Neo opened his eyes to find himself before a blazing fire, Trinity in his arms. "A fire," he whispered.

"Yeah. I remembered your dream."

"This place is great," he said, looking around at the rustic furniture. Without looking he knew he was sitting on a bearskin rug.
"Who programmed this?" he asked.

"I did, actually. I always wanted to have a cabin on the sea before I was unplugged. We all programmed places we could go to
if we needed a break from the ship. Just easy ways of finding a calmness. This is mine."

"Wow. It's great."

"Not bad. It's a good escape."

"It's not what I pictured your dream escape would be."

She laughed. "Oh really? What did you picture?"

"Rome."

"Shit," she laughed, faintly blushing.

"This is so strange, Trinity. We're sitting here, together, but we're really not. That blows my mind."

"Try not to think about it that way, Neo. I know you, you know me. We're just meeting here. A meeting of the minds." She
smiled at her word choice.

"Yeah. Minds."

"You want something to eat? I betcha Tank whipped us up something good."

"We can eat in here?"

"Could you eat in the Matrix?" she called over her shoulder as she walked to the kitchen.

He shrugged her shoulders, his eyes following her movements.

"Hey," he noticed, "no leather."

"Hope you don't mind."

He studied her, watching the gauzy skirt swirl around her ankles and bare feet as she rummaged through the kitchen. She had
chosen to wear several layers of thin shirts that clung snugly to her torso. A silvery, loosely-woven sweater jacket hung limply
from her shoulders. It was the first time he'd seen Trinity wearing something other than her ship clothes or her Matrix leathers. It
was different. He liked it.

He examined himself: he wore black loose-fitting pants and a long-sleeved dark gray tee shirt.

"How come we always wear black?" he called to her.

She joined him again with two glasses of lemonade. "Switch often wore white."

His eyes dropped. "I'm so sorry, Trinity."

"Don't be."

"Want to talk about it?"

"Yes. But not yet."

He nodded as she handed him his glass. She watched as he raised it to his lips, took a sip, and swallowed.

"Holy shit."

"Tastes good, huh?" she smiled.

"Yeah. Just like I remember."

She sipped her lemonade slowly, savoring its sweet acidity.

"You know," she began, "I like my leathers, but this is a hell of a lot more comfortable."

"Yeah, nice selection," he agreed, indicating his own clothes.

"About wearing black..." she began, "I don't think we always did. But it came to a point where, when we were in the Matrix, we
felt too...at home. Could you imagine me patrolling the bandwidth in a pair of jeans and a sweatshirt?"

Neo smiled at the thought.

"Anyway, a generation or so before me started wearing black. We'd add our own personal touches of color, but we mostly
opted for bad-ass black leather. It makes me feel like I can kick the shit out of anyone. Unbreakable."

Nodding, Neo took another sip of the lemonade.

"I used to love that feeling," she continued softly, "but I’m realizing now we’ve been too hard for too long. Because now, when
you really want to break, you can’t."

"There are a few things I still don't understand." Neo sank his feet into the sand, enjoying its coolness and texture.

"Like what?"

"Like science. Discovery, invention... all of that's programmed? I mean, why would they give us an opportunity to cure
diseases... you know, stuff like that. Shit, they even make us think we reproduce."

"Think of it this way, Neo," Trinity began softly. "You could have essentially lived the same day over and over again without
even realizing it. Your memories of the previous day, previous year... all that, in theory, could have been programmed."

"Is that the way it works?"

"No. We don't understand all of it in its entirety, but we know that they let the human brain make choices and decisions and
basically carry out your life the way you wish to live it. It's a whole lot safer that way. More people would eventually begin
realizing something was awry."

Neo studied Trinity, waiting for her to continue.

Staring at the sea, Trinity carefully chose her words. "They've managed to capture it, Neo. Everything about human life. Did the
Oracle ask you about fate?"

"Morpheus did."

"Did you believe in fate?"

"No."

She nodded. "I didn't believe in fate either. I believed in God, this power, you know?"

"You believed in God?" he asked, incredulous.

She eyeballed him; he held his tongue.

"Yes. But I believed we still could make our own choices. It was like there was one being who knew all the paths you could
take and presented them to you, and let you choose."

She paused, momentarily, to study the thin line where sea met sky. "The machines managed to play God," she said eventually.

"You still believe in God, Trinity?"

She turned to face him, her cheeks reddening from the strengthening wind. "I was beginning to wonder myself. But now, Neo, I
do."

He resisted an urge to chuckle. "How can you?"

"Neo, right now we are inside a program. We're sitting on a beach, feeling the wind in our hair and the sand on our feet. It feels
wonderful; we're satiated, happy, comfortable. It's beautiful. But Neo, this isn't real. In a while, we're going to go back to the
fake cabin, have a fake dinner, and sleep in a fake bed."

She moved closer to his face, their noses almost touching.

"But I won't kiss you here, Neo. Because they couldn't duplicate what it actually feels like when my lips touch yours. Remember
how they used to say that the feeling of love was nothing more than a chemical reaction similar to the one produced by eating
chocolate?"

Neo smiled, remembering.

"Well, it's not. Not even close. We've proven that. And that is why I still believe. If there wasn't God, there wouldn't be a
difference."

Neo could feel her breath on his lips, the heat radiating from her body...it reminded him of their first meeting in the Matrix. At
the club, her mouth just brushing his ear, her voice replacing the cacophony of the club. She had been so far away then, so alien.
But he had trusted her, believed her. Wanted her. He wondered if anything she was saying now could possibly be true.

"I don't know if I agree with you, Trinity," he confessed. "I mean, look at us; where we are, what happened to the human
race..."

"You don't have to agree with me, Neo," she said, straightening her self back up to a sitting position. "I don't expect you to. But
everything about our world, as you're beginning to find out, has everything to do with faith. Not necessarily faith in a god, but
faith in ourselves, faith in the human race."

She placed her hands on his face and searched his eyes with her own. "Do you believe now, Neo, that you are the one?"

He didn't have to hesitate any more. "Yes."

"Then I believe... in you."

Trinity laughed, nearly spitting out her hot chocolate. "No shit, Neo. You've got to be kidding me."

"Nope," he smiled, "not at all."

"I don't believe it."

Neo smiled shyly and began to pick at the rug.

"You have got to tell me about this," Trinity urged, leaning forward and cuddling her pillow.

"I don't see what's so funny," Neo began.

"You. An actor. My God. Did you wear the little tights?"

"No little tights Trin. We did it out of period."

"What does that mean?"

"Instead of doing Shakespeare to match the time period in which it was written, we, well, moved it to another time. Basically
changed the setting."

"Shit. I haven't heard Shakespeare in years. I actually took a class. How did that one go? 'What light from yonder window
breaks...'"

"Oh no. Not that one."

"Don't you remember watching that God-awful version in high school where the teachers fast-forwarded it through the sex
scenes?"

Neo chuckled. "Yeah."

"You know," he added after a moment of staring into the fire, "I played Romeo in high school."

"No way. No way." Her eyes sparkled as he continued.

"Yeah, I did. I hated it. I mean, I really hated it. I remember this so vividly...the auditions. I had to be Romeo, tragic lover of
Juliet."

"Well you got the lead, isn’t that good?"

"What’s so special about Romeo? The guy was a dumbass, if you ask me. I would have rather been Mercutio. Drunken
sooth-sayer meets death in the form of a blade..."

"You should be happy; they cast you in the spotlight."

Neo stared at the fire. "Sometimes it’s the minor characters who hold the most importance."

"I took it too seriously," he continued after a pause.

"There's nothing wrong with that."

Neo turned and searched her face for acceptance before continuing. "Acting was a way to escape. To get lost in a time, a
language so different from your own. Leave the human race behind. How ironic that is. And so there I was, up there on stage,
pancake-makeuped, baring my soul as Othello, raising hell as Hamlet... "

"Were you good?"

"Very."

"Why'd you stop?" asked Trinity, setting down her hot chocolate and moving closer to Neo.

"Hurt too damn much. I lived those words, Trin. I lived those souls. From villains to heroes. Then in college I broke. Just broke
apart. Couldn't do it anymore. Through a fit on stage one night at practice 'cause fucking bitch who played Viola couldn't get her
lines right for the fifth time that evening. Eventually profs didn't want me in their shows. 'Too emotional; too wrapped up in
character' they said. Fuck it."

"And so you changed your major?"

"Yeah. Computers were so predictable. No emotions there. Just look at us now."

"Thomas Anderson, the actor."

"I don't have to act anymore."

They sat in silence for a while, listening to the crackle of the fire and sighing of the wind. Trinity waited for his face to soften,
those lines of anguish and defeat to fade into the night, before joining him on the rug.

Tenderly she gathered him into her arms. "All the world's a stage," she whispered.

Neo stared into the fire. "And all the men and women merely players."

How true, he thought. How true.

"So if we sleep here, are we sleeping there?"

Trinity nodded, her mouth full of toothpaste.

Neo leaned in the doorway, captivated.

She gave her teeth another once-over, and spat a generous helping of mint-flavored Colgate into the sink. "God," she said as the
bluish foam washed away with the tapwater. "That feels great. It's so...normal. I feel like I have clean teeth!"

Neo couldn't help but smile; his ass-kicking leather-clad Trinity was excited about toothpaste. He suddenly understand what she
meant by unbreakable. They were simply too tough.

"Guess that gritty shit we've got doesn't do it for you, huh?" he asked, amused.

"God, no. Not even close. And you know what I could really use, Neo? A bath. A deep, hot bath. With bubbles. Shit, I haven't
had a bath in weeks."

"We don't have a bathtub on the Neb."

"A bath here. I scrubbed down this morning, remember?"

"What do you think that sponge thing is made of?"

"Who knows? You up for a bath?"

She turned the knobs by the tub, sat down on the edge, and looked at him expectantly.

Neo slunk back into the doorway. "You know, Trin, I think you should probably take a bath by yourself..."

"That wasn't what I was implying," she replied nonchalantly. "You're more than welcome to go before me."

"Yeah, that sounds great," he admitted.

Trinity left him in privacy to bathe. He noticed that he had a toothbrush sitting on the counter and decided to make use of it. She
was right; it was an awesome feeling compared to the shit on board the Neb. He stripped down and examined himself in the
mirror; he was more muscular and plugless, of course, than he was in real life. He inhaled and flexed his muscles, impressed with
himself. Guess all the training does pay off, he thought. Mental muscle.

He spied the toilet and resisted the urge to go; he could actually hear himself asking Trinity, "so, if we piss here, do we piss
there?" and decided he'd better just scrap the whole idea. He'd gone on the Neb, anyway.

Neo lowered himself gingerly into the tub, marveling at the feel of hot water on skin. He reminded himself that there really was
no tub, but he decided to follow Trinity's advice and give himself a nice, mental rest. Before long he was fast asleep.

A soft rap on the door brought him back to reality.

"Neo?" asked Trinity through the door. "You okay?"

"Mmmm...yeah...just fell asleep for a sec. I'll be right out."

Neo appeared in the doorway, towel wrapped around his waist, hair going every direction. Trinity smiled and put down her
book; he was so damned cute.

"Coming to bed?" she asked softly as he staggered into the room.

"God, I'm so tired."

"I guess Morpheus had a point, huh?"

"Yeah, I guess," he admitted reluctantly. "I'm glad I'm here with you," he added, shyly.

"Me too. I'm going to take a bath, okay? There's some shorts for you in the dresser." She kissed him on the forehead and
headed for the door.

"Don't be too long, " he called after her.

She smiled back at him, closed the door, and drew herself a bath.

Trinity laid on her back under the down quilt with Neo curled tightly to her side. He was asleep before she even finished her
bath; she found him half-sprawled out on top of the plush bed. She had quickly toweled off her short hair, dressed in a
conservative cotton pajamas, and set about the task of getting Neo under the covers without waking him. The room had begun
to get chilly; Neo's smooth bare chest was covered with goosebumps. She turned off the lights and began to half lift him, half
pull him to the head of the bed. She finally got him to a position where she could pull the comforter and flannel sheets down far
enough so that she could weasel him under. "There is no spoon my ass," she said to herself as she felt her muscles strain against
a weight that technically wasn't even there.

Her goal accomplished, Trinity climbed under the covers and stretched herself out, her toes barely touching the footboard.
Almost instinctively Neo rolled over and nudged himself up close to her. It was a comforting feeling, she decided, after a few
moments of trying to place her emotions. Part of her desperately wanted to wake him and fuck him senseless (damn hormones),
but the other part (damn brain) remembered their pact to not get physical while in the Matrix or the construct. Must be real,
must be real. Just keep it going in your head, Trinity. Must be real. Must be real. Must be real..

Eventually the May wind, Neo's steady breathing, and her mantra of reality lulled her to sleep in minutes. In her dream, she was
back on her beach, letting the hem of her skirt dance with the waves.

Morpheus came into the core to check on Tank. "How is Trinity?" he asked, his voice tired. Tank pointed to her vitals by
the loading platform. Morpheus nodded. They were sleeping. "I'm gonna hate to have to wake them up," he said quietly.

Tank waited for the command to pull them out, but it never came. The pair sat in silence and watched them for several hours
before asking Tank to bring them back.

"Wake up, Neo."

"Huh?" Neo blinked, confused. "Trinity? Where are we?"

"Back on the ship. Hold on, I'll unplug you."

Neo relaxed as he felt the long, metal data plug slip out of his head. "God, that's gross," he mumbled.

"You'll get used to it."

"Don't think so," replied Neo, running his hand over his shaved head. "What happened to the construct?"

"Morpheus had to pull us out. We've got to go in."

"Shit, not the Matrix. Can't go back there yet."

Trinity touched his pale cheek, her fingers lingering by his lips. "We're not going in the Matrix, Neo." Her lips twitched with
happy anticipation.

"We're going to Zion."

Trinity and Neo clung to the back of the cockpit, watching Morpheus maneuver the ship through countless tunnels and
byways. The Neb was not completely repaired, but now flyable. Their lingering presence began to bother him. He had too
much on his mind, between the condition of the ship and the loss of most of his crew.

"Want to drive, Trinity?" he asked.

"Hell yeah," she replied, taking the co-pilot's seat and switching on various instruments.

"I didn't know you could drive this thing, Trin," said Neo.

Trinity was too focused on taking over for the captain to notice. "She's an excellent captain," commented Morpheus as he
joined Neo near the cockpit entrance. "Have a seat. Let her take you for a ride." He smiled at Neo cryptically, then quietly left
the cockpit.

Neo sat in Morpheus' chair next to Trinity, watching the wondrous world of dark passageways fly by him. Trinity clutched the
wheel with one hand while the other was hard at work pushing buttons and flipping switches. Her eyes never left the vast maze
ahead of her.

"Hey," murmured Neo, "you're pretty good."

"Damn straight," she replied as she maneuvered around a particularly large obstruction. "It's not a program, you know."

"What?"

"I actually learned how to fly this thing. No uploading here."

"You fly like I used to drive."

A hint of a smile played on her lips. "If I remember correctly," she said without averting her eyes from their task, "you drove like
shit. Fast, and like shit."

"Yeah, but that was programmed."

"The car was programmed. Your brain told it how fast to go."

"Hey, I never got into any accidents."

"Ever wonder why?"

Neo furrowed his eyebrows. "No, I never did. Why?"

Trinity gazed ahead, pretending to concentrate on flying.

"Trin, what's up? You know something I don't?"

She snorted a soft laugh. "No, Neo, it's nothing."

"Trinity..."

For the first time during their conversation, she looked at him, smiled, and popped the knuckles on her free hand. "I'm a hacker,
dear," she said sweetly. "That's my secret. Morpheus found you. The crew watched you. I kept you safe."

Irritation crept into Neo's voice. "I was being watched?"

"Not watched. Monitored."

"What's the difference? You mean you saw everything? I went to work, you saw? I ate dinner, you watched? So, spy, did you
get to see me take a piss?"

"Neo," she said, nonplussed, returning her attention back to the ship, "we weren't invading your privacy. You were still all alone
there in your little jelly hole..."

"Trinity, you were watching my thoughts. That's sick."

"Cypher used to tease me," she said uneasily, not knowing if Neo was seriously angry or just being difficult.

"Why?" he asked, easing up a bit. She was talking, this was good.

"I used to not sleep for hours...just watching you. Sonofabitch was jealous."

Her knuckles began to whiten from her tight grip.

"Jealous of what?"

"Neo, you know the answer to that question. Please don't think that I was invading your privacy. I just wanted..." She
swallowed, unused to the raw emotions that caused her throat to close up. "I just wanted to be close to you. For a long time
watching was the only way I could."

All irritation disappeared from his voice. "You protected me."

"As much as I could. Morpheus would have had a fucking fit if he knew I was changing shit in the Matrix without his
permission."

"I thought we couldn't change the Matrix."

"It's not a question of can, Neo. It's a question of how long you'll live after you do. You see, I can't do what you do. You just
think and it happens; it stays the way you want it to be. I hack the old-fashioned way."

"And they never found out."

"Oh, yeah, they found out. Almost got nailed a few times by our mutual friend Smith. Morpheus found out too, but by that time
we were working on getting you out."

"What did you do?"

"Oh, just little things. Barely detectable things. Yellow lights stayed yellow longer; other vehicles would speed up or slow down
just a bit. Enough to compensate for your shitty driving."

"God. How long were you doing this?"

"A few months. It became a game after a bit. I'd be sleeping, and Tank would knock on my door, all excited, and whisper 'he's
in the car!'"

Neo smiled as he watched Trinity relax. Talking's going to be difficult with her, he thought as she skillfully wove her way through
the tunnels. He held onto the sides of the chair as Trinity maneuvered the Nebachanezzer through a particularly tight passage.
What a woman.

"Trin," he asked after a few moments pause, "are we there yet?"

Morpheus reentered the cockpit about two hours later, fresh from a simulated thermal soak. He'd been out of the Matrix
long enough where he no longer made the distinction between body and mind - the mental rest rejuvenated him more than a real
full night's sleep.

"How are we doing, Trinity?" he asked gently.

"Fine," she replied, preparing to the controls back to her captain. "We're about three hours out."

"Where is Zion, exactly?" asked Neo.

"Near what's left of the core. It's lost a considerable amount of heat in the last thousand years. Zion was originally built under
Canada's Northern Territories, but it kept growing in, toward the heat. There's really nothing left of the original Zion."

Morpheus paused to adjust himself into the pilot's chair.

"There are several entrances, Neo. We're heading to one that's directly underneath the Atlantic. Well, the Atlantic glaciers, at
least. Water froze up years ago. The machines are still sensitive to the moisture; most of them avoid the area completely.
Sentinels can't get through security. When it comes to pinpointing exact location, it couldn't be easier. It's the damned center of
the Earth."

"Oh," said Neo stupidly. There was so much he still needed to know but asking questions was a cruel reminder of his ignorance
of the real world.

Trinity sensed his frustration and pledged that she'd do a better job keeping Neo informed about so many of the little things he
had yet to learn.

"We have to leave now," said Trinity gently, taking Neo by the arm. Before he could ask her why, she explained, "Morpheus
alone can enter Zion. We are simply not allowed to know how to get there or how to get in. Safety reasons."

Neo smiled at her gently and let her guide him out of the pilot's cabin. The hatch door was their next priority.

It had been shut for almost three years.

"I'm Flare," said the shorter woman. "I'll show you to your rooms."

"This is the detox area," Trinity explained to Neo as they walked through a maze of corridors. "We need to be checked for any
type of infections or bugs that could jeopardize the safety of Zion."

"How long will we be here?" he asked Trinity quietly, taking in his surroundings. Their drab, dirty clothing looked especially
dingy against the sterile white walls.

"We most likely will stay here for the time being. We'll get detoxed, then sent back to our bunks to rest."

"Rest?"

"Neo," she whispered, "do you realize what we've just been through?"

Flare stopped abruptly in the pristine hallway. "Here's your room," she said to Trinity. "Morpheus and Tank are two doors over.
Enjoy your detoxification."

"Your room," she began, addressing Neo with a smile, "is..."

"He's with me," Trinity interrupted with quiet authority. As Flare's mouth began to open in protest, the ranking officer allowed a
tiny smile to play across her lips before guiding Neo through the door. "Thank you," she said gently as she closed the door on a
still-gaping Flare.

The door shut quietly, not like the loud metal clang of the doors aboard the Neb. As soon as the lock clicked home Neo began
to chuckle.

"You didn't have to be such a bitch to her, Trin."

"Well," she said with a wicked grin, "did you want to be detoxed all by yourself?"

"It doesn't sound like much fun, actually."

"Actually," she began, pressing him toward the door, "I think you're completely underestimating this experience."

He thumped against the door, barely realizing that she had trapped him.

"I think," she continued, "that you might actually enjoy it."

Her hands found his, her own callused fingers slipping between Neo's smooth ones. "I know I'm going to like it," she whispered,
her mouth just inches from his own.

"God, Trinity," he breathed as her mouth found his for their first not-so-chaste kiss. Neo nearly collapsed against the solid door
as Trinity pressed her body into his, her full, warm lips moving gently against his own.

He struggled for control. He had never felt anything remotely similar to this before. True, he had intercourse a few times in the
Matrix, but nevertheless it was nothing compared to what he was feeling now. A simple kiss, and his pulse was racing out of
control. Trinity unlocked her hands from his and moved them up the fabric of his shirt, then grasped his face as she pulled him in
deeper. He parted his lips and allowed her to explore his mouth. He moaned then, as their tongues met for the first time, a deep,
sobbing sound that was muffled by her mouth.

She drew back, perplexed.

"You okay?" she asked, licking her lips.

"God, yes, Trinity." But before he could pull her in for another kiss, a sharp rapping came from the other side of the door. Neo
jumped with surprise. "Calm down there, tiger," Trinity whispered with a smile before gently moving Neo aside to open the
door.

"Yes?" Her voice had resumed its don't-give-me-shit tone.

Neo took a deep breath and allowed Trinity to handle the interruption. He glanced around the room, noting the elements of
simple living that he never expected to see again. In the far corner of the room was their bunk, a double bed built right into the
wall, like a little cave. There was a nightstand, a dresser, and doors to what he figured was a closet. He moved to the bed and
sat on it, marveling in its comfort. Even more interesting was the comforter. It was actually a comforter, patchworked but
nonetheless a newer cloth, dyed a deep indigo. He closed his eyes and tried to concentrate on its texture, willing his erection
away. "Plenty of time for that," he muttered to himself as he heard Trinity shut the door.

"We've got fifteen minutes to get to detox. We'd better get going."

"Back to business, huh?" he smirked.

Trinity eyed him coolly and opened her mouth to reply, but didn't.

"Trin?" Neo asked as she picked up her bags. "What is it?"

"Nothing. Let's go."

"Trinity." He grabbed her arm, turning her toward him. "What is it?"

She hesitated. "We're...together... now, right?"

"Oh, Trinity," he breathed, drawing her close, "yes. God, yes. I can't do this without you."

She was silent.

"Don't close up on me, Trin. I need you. We need to learn how to talk."

"Yeah," she whispered. "Guess that's hard for me."

"It's okay. I'm not great at it either."

She nodded.

"What was going on out there, anyway."

She looked up to meet his gaze. "I gave the girl hell about detox."

"Why?" he asked, smoothing her hair.

"Well, let's just say we'll be going through it together."

"Why Trinity," Neo asked, surprised, "are you jealous?"

"No," she smiled, "not jealous. Just a bit possessive."

"Possessive? No, you're kiddin' me."

"Really, Neo, you'll see why. Detox, well, is pretty exposing. And, as I was telling you, it's not a bad experience at all. But it's a
bit uncomfortable to go alone. Speaking of, we'd better go." She hoisted her bags up on her shoulder and turned to open the
door.

"Exposing?" called Neo, behind her.

She turned, smiled, and continued down the hallway.

They walked in silence down the clean, white hallway until they came to the detoxification chambers. Trinity scanned the patient
board to find their names. "Good deal," she said. "We're in forty-six"

"Did your efforts pay off?"

"Definitely."

Neo was expecting a medical examination room, but instead he was surprised to see a decent-sized room that looked almost
comfortable. A large, steamy pool, cloistered by gauzy curtains, hid in the back corner of the room. Two small wall sconces
light the room with a delicate, rosy light. "This is detox?" he asked, confused.

"Yeah. C'mon in."

"I haven't seen anything like this in the real world. It actually looks comfortable."

"You won't find this stuff on any ship, Neo. Zion has had a long time to build itself into what it is today. I think you'll be
pleasantly surprised."

She shut the door and gestured to two flat tables covered with plush, natural-looking towels. "Take off your clothes, and lay
down."

Neo raised his eyebrows. "In front of you?"

She let out a light snort. "Yeah, in front of me. You can leave your undergarments on."

"What are they going to do?" he asked as he pulled his ratty shirt over his head.

"Plug us in, clean us up."

"Plugs?" he asked, concerned.

"Yeah. They'll run a program on us just to make sure we're healthy and bug-free."

"How long does that take?"

"Just a few minutes. I'm here with you, they won't marvel over you too long."

"Thanks," he said sarcastically.

Trinity took off her clothes and sat on the table next to Neo. He tried not to look at her, lest he be aroused in front of a bunch of
doctors. He was painfully aware of the scars left from his plugs, round, pink circles burned against the rest of his pale flesh. He
glanced at Trinity; hers were faded, barely visible. Only the plug in the back of her neck remained. The one in her arm, he could
tell, was only recently removed.

He fingered his own arm plug, embarrassed, revolted by it.

"They'll probably take that one out," she murmured as if she could understand his thoughts. "You don't need it anymore."

"How long have you been out, Trin?" he asked, curling himself up into a less revealing position.

"Eight or nine years. I was twenty, almost done with college. I was late, too."

"Shit, they really did wait a long time for me."
"You were hard to find."

"So I've heard."

A soft knock at the door interrupted them; a tall blonde woman slid gently in. "I'm Circuit," she introduced herself. "Neo,
Trinity."

Neo glanced at Trinity, who was already positioning her head near the end of the table. "Lay down," she mouthed. Taking
another glance at the beautiful doctor, Neo could see why Trinity wanted to be detoxed by his side.

"What program, please?" the blonde asked Neo.

"I don't know..." he stumbled, looking to Trinity for help.

"Cafe," said Trinity.

He watched Trinity as the doctor pulled the spike from under the table and inserted it into the back of Trinity's head. She didn't
even flinch. He studied her body as he prepared to be plugged in; her slender frame, pale skin covered by a dingy gray, torn
tank top and a raggedy pair of underwear. She was gorgeous.

"Are you ready, Neo?" asked the doctor. Without waiting for a response, Neo felt the cold piece of metal scream through his
brain, and then heard the bustle and commotion of a diner.

He opened his eyes to find himself sitting in a mom-and-pop cafe, across the table from Trinity.

"Seems almost normal, doesn't it," she asked, sipping a large latte.

"Yeah. You look nice."

"As always, right?" she blushed.

"No, really. Stand up, turn around"

"Neo, come on."

"None of these people are real, and you know it. C'mon, Trin," he pleaded.

She slowly rose from her seat, spread her arms out, and turned in a slow circle. Neo watched in appreciation. Her dark denim
jeans covered most of her traditional Matrix boots. A sharp black leather jacket covered a small white v-neck shirt that
accentuated what he could see of her small breasts. Her hair fell in soft waves round her chin and...

"Trin," he asked, surprised, "are you wearing lipstick?"

"You noticed," she said proudly as she re-took her seat. "Do you like it?"

"I love this RSI thing," Neo marveled. "Did you notice I left my hair short for you?"

"Of course. I like it that way."

"Oh, it will get to you someday," he chuckled.

"I don't think I'll ever get sick of looking at you," she said, raising her eyebrow.

"Oh, now don't get me started," he joked, grabbing her free hand across the table.

"Do you know how ridiculous we're acting?" she asked, smiling.

"No, not really. I don't give a shit about it in here. Out there, either. God, Trinity, I'm just happy. You know, there was a time,
just a short while ago, where I thought that I could never be happy out of the Matrix. I wondered if happiness was simply a
programmed feeling. Bullshit. I don't think they could program what I'm feeling."

"Ah, the blind man sees," she replied with an arch of her eyebrow.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing, Neo. I agree with you. I'm, well, simply happy."

She took a long swallow of latte and stared at him under her thick lashes.

"So what's it take to get a cup of coffee in this place?" he asked, half-joking.

"Coffee," she said to no one in particular, and in less than a few seconds a steaming cup of black coffee materialized in front of
Neo.

"Damn, you're good," he mumbled, gingerly feeling the cup, still in awe about the sheer technology of the thing. And as Trinity
began to explain what Zion was like, he let his mind wander, lost in the richness of a flavor that, in reality, wasn't even there.

Neo was so lost in the program that when Trinity disappeared he had a moment of panic. But before his mind could react he
too was jolted back to the real world and endured another sickening unplugging. It reminded him of those nature shows where
they pulled burrowing worms out of someone's skin. His gaze immediately turned to Trinity, whose eyes were still closed.

"I'm here, Neo," she whispered, a faint smile on her lips.

"The both of you seem clean," said Circuit as she removed her gloves, "and all your organs are working properly."

Neo suppressed a laugh. An organ-checker.

"Thanks," said Trinity, sitting up. "When's muscle therapy?" she asked, stretching her arms up over her head.

Neo quickly averted his eyes.

"Oh, Morpheus told me that you two would be able to do your own massage back at your room. I've arranged for you to do
the rest of your detox there. Put your robes on, and go back to your room."

Neo's eyebrows shot up.

"Thanks, Circuit," Trinity said genuinely as the doctor left.

Trinity hopped down from her table and retrieved their robes. She slipped one on, and handed one to Neo. "That wasn't that
enjoyable," he whispered to her as they walked hand-in-hand down the hallway.

"We didn't get bathed," she replied with a half-grin.

"I was kinda looking forward to the massage."

A smile played on her lips. "Oh, you'll get one," she said as she opened their door.

She directed him immediately to the bathroom, both of the anxious to relax and get clean. Trinity was secretly pleased, realizing
that most of the Zion officials were going out of their way to make them comfortable. The bathroom was proof. Zion's Fifth
Detox Unit was renowned for its thermal spas, deep steamy pockets of mineral water lay just beneath the compound. Humans
took advantage of these gems, of course, drawing the heated waters to individual bathing pools inside for public use. Most
thermal spas were able to sustain abundant plant life, and with a new form of fusion they were able to create that simulated
sunlight, the spas proved to be a veritable farm for most edible food. Of course, many of the growing areas were split off from
public bathing areas, but no thermal spa was absent of some sort of greenery.

Theirs was no different. The spacious room was painted a pale sage green. A large, clear pool sat on one side of the room,
steam billowing from its waters. Exotic orchids grew in ancient-looking terracotta pots around the far side of the pool. There
was no artificial sunlight here, only dozens of candle sconces lining the walls surrounding the pool, making it gleam invitingly. It
was enclosed completely and separated from the other area of the bathroom by gauzy curtains similar to those in the detox area.

Although the other area of the bathroom followed suit with the relaxing atmosphere of the thermal spa, it still resembled a
traditional human bathroom, complete with a sink, toilet, and separate shower. Trinity closed her eyes and inhaled the sweet,
clean fragrance.

"Makes you realize what you've been missing, huh?" she asked Neo, who was still dumbfounded at its stark contrast to their
ship's lavatory.

"Mmm. I'm gonna remember the warmth of it the most. So freaking cold on the Neb. Been cold since I got here."

"Then let's get in the tub," she suggested, guiding Neo toward the thermal spa.

"I'll get in first," Neo offered, trying to find a way around the awkwardness. "Don't look."

Trinity smiled, and turned around.

Neo let the robe drop to the floor, wriggled out of his underwear and quickly slid himself into the pool of steaming water. It was
the most incredible thing he'd ever felt; he unconsciously moaned at the sensation.

"Water nice?" Trinity asked, turning around to make sure he was in.

"God, it's great."

"Your turn. Eyes shut."

Neo obeyed, and Trinity gingerly stepped into the pool, positioning herself next to Neo but not touching him. She was relieved
to see that the water came up to her collarbones; although she trusted Neo completely, it was still a strange situation. Wet
skin-on-skin contact would be enough to send both of them over the edge right now, and she knew it.

So did Neo.

But it wasn't long before they pushed their nakedness to the back of their minds and concentrated on the job at hand. Fuck it,
she thought. She'd lived on the Neb for eight years now and had seen every one of her shipmates naked on more than one
occasion. Yeah, she reminded herself, but they were friends. Shipmates. Nothing more. It didn't matter, and it shouldn't matter
now.

"I'm going to bathe you," she said matter-of-factly after a half-hour of silent and comfortable relaxation, and moved past Neo,
guiding him in front of her as she stood and repositioned herself on a shallow edge of the pool. The steamy swirls of water no
longer hid her breasts, but she no longer felt painfully uncomfortable.

"I can bathe myself," Neo muttered without conviction.

"Wouldn't you rather let me do it?" she whispered, picking up a washtowel.

"Yeah, I guess so," he replied sleepily.

Trinity smiled and soaped up the cloth, feeling more and more comfortable. She guided Neo gently back to rest between her
knees before she began to wash his arms, back, and chest. She slowly rubbed his skin clean, all the while admiring the features
she'd never realized before: his hairless chest, his jutting collarbone, his soft, delicate features. She washed his entire top half
thoroughly, being extra gentle around his remaining plugs and even washing his short hair. She ran her hand over it, delighted
with its delightfully fuzzy texture. He would have been happy to know that she wasn't a bit phased by the plug in his head.

Neo's eyes closed and posture slumped two minutes into her task, and when she was finished she was positive that he was
sound asleep. He has a right to be, she reminded herself. Trying to ignore the blatant desire that was beginning to burn inside
her, she folded herself over him, her small breasts resting on his wet back, arms wrapping around his chest. Her head fit snugly
between his shoulder blades and head plug.

She was almost embarrassed at her forward behavior earlier, but the need to be physically close with Neo had become a desire
she no longer wanted to control. She had felt him grow hard against her as she pressed him against the door for their first lusty
kiss; it secretly thrilled her that she was the cause of his erection.

She was actually worried at first whether or not he'd be attracted to her. The night they met for the first time she had even asked
Tank about her choice of clothing.

"Hmm, dahling," he teased, "how 'bout some black leather?"

"Oh, shut up, Tank," she fumed. "Can't you give me some good advice here?"

"Okay, I see you're serious. Go strapless. Let him see those shoulders of yours."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. You're going to a club, remember? Go shake your stuff!"

Well, she certainly wasn't going to shake anything there, save maybe Neo's hand. She watched him from afar; he looked so out
of place, so lonely. Like me, she thought absently. She came up to him slowly, deliberately, hands behind her back.

The meeting went smoothly, but she was convinced that Neo was more impressed with her delinquent reputation than with her
appearance. Shit, she thought, I'm in frickin' leather and I didn't get so much as a once-over. Tank only laughed at her
insecurity, leaving her to face the rest of the night confused and frustrated.

Later, after they'd pulled him, her feelings for him blossomed. Dozer began to get annoyed with her watching him work, and
Morpheus begged her to get some sleep. She answered them with a raise of her eyebrow, her head held high. They knew better
than to command her elsewhere.

She was there at his side each time he came to.

"I know you," he said hoarsely to her one night after a particularly violent series of nightmares jolted him awake.

"I'm Trinity," she said with a smile, gently caressing his cheek.

"I thought I was dead. Thought you were angel," he whispered, shutting his eyes.

She smiled to herself.

"Please stay with me," he managed to whisper moments later. "I don't want to be alone anymore."

"I'll be here," she affirmed him.

Several weeks later they managed to move him to his own cabin, but after spending a night incoherent and screaming for her,
Morpheus decided that it would be best for her to stay watch over him while he slept.

So she did, back aching against the cold steel, butt tingling from lack of blood. When he'd wake up, confused and delirious, she
would simply take his hand in hers and lay him back down and coax him back to sleep.

They never talked.

But her love for him blossomed nonetheless.

And the crew never teased her, never asked about her midnight vigils. In fact, they were surprised to see her one morning at
breakfast. She sat down without a word, ate her synthetic protein glop and go about her duties.

It was what had happened the night before that made her decide to leave Neo's side.

Deep in sleep, Neo had called her name. He'd done it before during his fevers, but this time it was different. He'd moaned it.
She was almost on the brink of sleep, her forehead barely touching her folded arms when she heard the whisper of his voice
break the stillness. At first she thought she'd imagined it, but there it was again. She opened her eyes wide, straining them against
the darkness of the room. He'd said her name in a way that sent a jolt of electrical current down her spine.

He was dreaming about her.

Instantly uncomfortable, she fled his room and went to her own cabin, locking herself in.

She sat on the bed, shaking.

She wanted him to like her, to love her even, but she knew how these things went. Each crew member, in fact, had gone
through something similar with other new members. Like Switch, for instance. Switch bonded with Apoc upon her unplugging,
and then with Mouse when they found him. Mouse was Switch's baby; she spent hours just talking to him while he was being
reconstructed. Everyone had their own theories about who's body Mouse modeled the woman in red after. Tank had
befriended Trinity after her unplugging; they were now best friends.

But had she crossed the line with Neo?

She wasn't in love with him then, just a feeling she couldn't explain, but couldn't ignore...

The night Neo moaned her name from deep within sleep, the stoic Trinity began to weep as she realized she would have to let
Neo do it on his own, if things were to be as the Oracle predicted. It was one of the hardest decisions of her life.

Soon after Neo was up and able to function around the ship, however, she grew more confident that Neo may actually be
noticing her. She'd catch the last seconds of stolen glances...unseized moments of conversation...

It was silent flirtation at it's best.

And then there was that night before Neo went to see the Oracle. After dinner she had returned to her cabin, exhausted. She'd
barely closed her eyes before she fell into a restless sleep. A slight tap on her door, barely audible, roused her. Curious, she
went to the door, hoping Cypher wasn't hanging around like he had been doing lately. Instead it was Neo.

"How long have you been out here?" she asked, her voice gravely.

He paused, and opted to tell the truth. "About an hour."

"What time is it?"

"It's late."

She wordlessly invited him in; they sat on her bunk.

"This is going to sound really strange," he fumbled, his voice soft as he tried to find the right words, "but I've got to tell you
something. I just...can't keep it in anymore."

She searched his eyes, wondering what he was trying to say, hoping...

"I have these feelings...about, well..."

He tried again.

"Trinity...I think about you..."

His eyebrows furrowed in concentration.

Then he abandoned the idea of trying to tell her all together.

The next thing she realized was that he was apprehensively leaning in closer to kiss her. He reached up to touch her face, to pull
her in, when it happened.

The shrill alarm signal jolted their eyes open.

"Oh, shit," said Trinity, now on full-alert mode. "We've got to get to the deck."

Never had sentinels come at a less appropriate time.

And from that day until the standoff with the agents, Trinity had kept her feelings in check. Too much was at stake, too many
emotions on the line. She decided that she'd let Neo make the next move too, just to make sure that what happened the night
the sentinels attacked wasn't a momentary physical weakness.

That was her intent, anyway.

There were times that she wanted to tell him...but in the car on the way to the Oracle wasn't the right time or place. The subway
wasn't ideal, either. And when the agents succeeded in killing him, she thought for a moment that she'd missed her chance, that
he was gone.

But that couldn't be true. He couldn't be gone.

Trinity was so lost in her reverie that she barely felt Neo's bicep twitch under her arms, and the gentle pressure of his hand rest
against her thigh. Her eyes suddenly snapped open.

"You awake, Trinity?" he asked softly.

"Mmm. Yeah, half-in, half-out."

"Sorry I fell asleep."

"I was half there myself. Was thinking."

"'Bout what?"

She paused before answering, not certain whether or not she wanted to discuss those moments of panic.

"Neo," she said after awhile, holding him from behind and mumbling into his hair, "did you hear me? After you were shot?"

"Yes. You told me that you loved me. And I knew then that I was the one."

"I should have told you sooner."

"Nah," he said with a light laugh, "I think you chose an appropriate time. I understand why you waited," he added. "I don't know
how I would have reacted. I can't believe I didn't understand who the Oracle was talking about."

"What do you mean?"

"She said I was cute," he said, blushing, "and then she said 'I can she why she likes you.'"

"What did you say?"

"I said 'who?'"

"Oh, come on, Neo."

"Well you stopped staying with me, and then after that night when I followed you back to your cabin from dinner...and then
when we went into the Matrix and you barely said three words to me..."

"We had a job to do..."

"Well, I still didn't think I had a chance."

"You're such a dolt," she teased, cautiously sliding out from behind him. Keeping herself as much of herself submerged as
possible, she tried to maneuver herself over to the bench opposite Neo, but he grabbed her arm, stopping her. Without
speaking he managed to situate her on his lap, so they were facing each other. She let him guide her without hesitation, glad that
he was finally taking the initiative. She wrapped her legs around his back, her eyes never leaving his.

"I'm really nervous," he managed to whisper as he studied her face. Her hair was damp and was beginning to curl around her
face, her cheeks flushed from the heat. "Me too," she replied. She was nervous, a feeling she'd rarely felt since her unplugging.
She'd felt terrified, yes, but never really nervous. Not even with the Oracle. But this was different. Very, very different. Her
stomach was in knots, her mind was on emotional overload, and her heart felt like it was about to burst. But stronger than the
butterflies was an intense desire to become one with Neo, to finally show him how much she loved him.

"Kiss me," she managed to whisper, much to Neo's delight. He took his time. Slowly, hesitatingly, they closed the distance
between their mouths, lips meeting together for a soft kiss.

Neo took her face in his hands, trying to explore her mouth without bringing her any closer. His senses were completely
overloaded as it was, and he was beginning to wonder if he could really handle this like a man should. Oh, he wanted her, all of
her, but the years of celibacy, the complete lack of physical and mental intimacy, left him terrified. Okay, he said to himself, I've
got a beautiful woman nearly sitting on my lap. Think about it, you dolt. She's not going to laugh at you. You're in love
with her, remember? Yet as he felt her tongue slide over his lips and her breathing become more ragged he couldn't suppress
his fear. Not only was he ashamed about his lack of sexual experience, he was certain he was going to come right there in the
pool just from kissing her. He was still physically weak; would he even be able to keep himself going long enough? And then the
thought that stung the most began to hammer in his mind: did she love him simply because the Oracle told her that she would?

Fuck you, he told the voice inside his head. That's bullshit. Look at her. She wants you, man. She loves you. Don't get
yourself going about shit that isn't true. He began to kiss her neck, drawing her closer to him and reveling in the taste of her
skin. Trinity moaned, causing his cock to twitch involuntarily. There's absolutely nothing to be afraid of, Neo, he told himself.
Just look at her. This isn't just you. You're together now; you're one, together. And with that the fear subsided, leaving him
euphoric and profoundly horny.

Trinity closed her eyes, enjoying the feel of Neo's lips on her neck. It was exquisite. What the hell am I supposed to do now?
she wondered. She sensed Neo's uneasiness. He looked so vulnerable, thin and pale, but she'd never seen him so alive. Touch
him, the voice answered. Slowly she removed her hands from behind his neck and began to drag her fingertips down his chest.
She heard him groan deep in his throat as she moved her hands to his chest, delicately circling his flat nipples. "Feels good," he
whispered, ending his quest with her throat.

She moved her hands further down his chest, under the water, keeping eye contact with him the entire time. "May I?" she
whispered as her hands drew closer to his groin.

Neo was lost for words. She had adjusted him so that she could sit comfortably on his lap, facing him, wrapping her legs behind
his back. The water barely covered her breasts, and he was too fascinated to speak. "Beautiful," was the only thing he could
manage to croak out.

She kissed him gently before continuing her journey downward; Neo closed his eyes and waited for contact, silently begging her
to end the torture. "Oh, God, I can't," he stammered, suddenly positive that he was gonna lose it right there. Not that he didn't
want to lose it, but his inner voice was nagging at him again. Bed, it said. Get up and get her to the bed.

Roger that, he told the voice. Let the games begin.

Trinity furrowed her eyebrows, suddenly worried that she'd crossed a line that he didn't want to cross.

"It's okay," he breathed, kissing her again. "We just gotta get to the bed."

She smiled, filling him with happiness.

"I agree," she whispered back between kisses.

They got out of the spa slowly, marveling at each other's bodies and getting lost in kisses and caresses. He eventually led her
back into the bedroom, her wet hand wrapped in his own.

Time slipped away as they made love for the first time, lost in the whisper of tangled sheets and warm skin, until they both could
take no more. Without breaking her gaze, Trinity whispered her request. "Now." He held her tightly as he came, more sure than
ever that this was right. He was more sure of it than anything he had ever been sure of. "I love you so much," he half-whispered,
half-panted to her. And they collapsed, half-sobbing, half-laughing, in each other's arms.

"Trinity?"

"Hmmm?"

"You know what the Oracle told me?"

"What did she tell you?"

"She said it seemed to her that I was waiting for something. I didn't understand what she meant then. But I think I've figured it
out: that until whatever I was waiting for happened, I could not be the one."

"What were you waiting for?"

"I didn't know it then, but I know now. I was waiting for you."
 
 
 

Chapter 2