"Trinity?" His voice was quiet in the darkened hull.

"Yes?" The light from the small emergency bulb cast a shadow over her still features.

"What did you do?"

"I told you to get up."

"And I did."

"Yes." They had gone over it a thousand times. He paused.

"What else?"

"What do you want to know?" She hedged.

"I have this feeling, it's almost as though you screamed at me to hurry."

"I did." Silence.

"Trinity?"

"Yes?"

"Why did you kiss me?"

"Why did you kiss me back?" The retort was quick and sunk the pair into stillness again, the ship quiet.

"I need you." He was pleading with her heart.

"To be what?"

"You."

"All right." She looked the way her shoulders faced, seeing him only out of the corner of her eye.

"Did you mean it?" he asked after a second.

"What?"

"The kiss?"

"Yes." He cast a glance at her, seeing stone covered in flesh.

"There's something else."

"What?" She asked again, the same inflection, no emotion, cold.

"I don't know. I remember feeling what death was, but then you said something and I came back."

"I already told you…"

"No, it was something more than 'get up'. What was it?" He was being assertive, determined.

"Nothing, Neo. It was nothing." Her determination matched his, if he couldn't remember, she wouldn't.

"I don't believe you." He faced her, trying to turn her to him without touch.

"That's your prerogative." She looked at him, eyes ice.

"Tell me what you said." Soft brown met steel blue, he wanted the truth.

"You already know Neo." She would not give way. She stood, turning her feet towards the ladder.

"Please." He touched her hand, her eyes boring into his in icy flame.

"No." And she was gone, steps echoing in the hull. He watched her leave and heard it, her words.

*

"I'm not afraid any more." His was heart still. "You see, you can't be dead. Because I love you."

*

"Shit." It was a sigh, an exhale, a need to release what he had done. It was all he could remember, along with a certainty the wise woman who dwelled within the coded world had told the flesh and blood woman something. She wasn't made of ice. Suddenly it made sense, the way she was so distant again. They had lost the crew she had known and trusted, and he had forgotten that she had given him her heart. He had, in a way, changed the meaning of the Oracle's words. Trinity would fall in love with the One. It hadn't been said if he would love her back. His feet followed her, knowing where the invisible tracks would lead. Outside the door he paused.

*~*~*~*~*

"I was wrong."

"No, he's the One."

"He hurt you. The man I thought we found wouldn't."

"He is still the One and he will be. That is the truth Morpheus."

"Why are you so sure?"

"Cypher tried to kill him, and failed. He should have fallen to his death when he saved me, he stood. Smith killed him, but he didn't die. Neo is the One."

"So you believe now?"

"I have since he opened his eyes and claimed he didn't believe you. He is the One."

"Thank you Trinity, I can only hope the Oracle hasn't brought you pain."

"I'm a fighter Morpheus, pain means I'm still alive." Her footsteps continued on their way. Neo walked forward from the shadows, directly into the path of his captain.

"Excuse me,"

"Neo, wait."

"Yes?"

"She needs space."

"I've done something really stupid Morpheus. I have to appologise."

"Leave her be."

"I remember what she said. I know what brought me back."

"What was it Neo?"

"I can't explain right now, please, can I see her?" The other man moved out of his way.

"She is my daughter in a way, the only family I have left bar Tank, be gentle on her Neo."

"She's my world Morpheus, I wouldn't be alive without her." His brown eyes shimmered.

"All right, I understand. Good luck." The captain walked away, leaving the path clear. Neo sighed and approached the door.

*~*~*~*~*

"Come in." Her voice was cold. The door opened.

"Trinity, I remember."

"Remember what Neo?" She wasn't looking at him.

"What brought me back."

"And?"

"I'm sorry."

"It's all right."

"I just, wasn't sure if I dreamed it."

"I see."

"No, you don't. I was waiting for something. I couldn't be the One, it didn't feel right."

"Is it now?"

"Yes."

"Good." She still wouldn't look at him as he stepped over the threshold and closed the door.

"Because of you."

"What?" Her eyes found his from her seat on the cot, he stood shyly near the door.

"I can't live without you Trinity, figuratively or literally." She smiled at the awkward joke.

"Why not?"

"Because I wouldn't be the One without you, I wouldn't have someone to turn to for help."

"Morpheus will be with you until the end."

"Yeah, but he's in love with someone. Besides, you're much more attractive."

"What are you saying Neo?" She frowned and he licked his lips.

"The Oracle told me that no one could tell you you were the One, you just knew. She compared it to…"

"Being in love?" He nodded; glad he had been saved the explaination in its entirety

"Yeah. I almost missed my chance, Trinity. I almost killed everyone, just because I wasn't brave."

"What do you mean?" She frowned.

"I didn't know how you would react."

"Me?"

"Yes."

"To what?" She studied him, watched as he fidgeted like a schoolboy.

"I," pause, "I adore you Trinity, more than this life. More than any life." His eyes held hers.

"Love, Neo. Do you love me?" She knew she was vulnerable, but with him, it didn't matter.

"Yes, but I can't say it."

"Why?"

"Because I would hurt you if I did." He hoped she wouldn't ask, hoped he wouldn't have to say.

"Then we'll leave it unsaid." The Matrix lives they had led were irrelevant now, she would wait.

"Thank you."

"Neo."

"Yes?"

"Stay with me?" For the first time, she felt afraid, worried that even now he would leave.

"Always." Slowly he walked towards the bed, sitting next to her. Eyes locked with hers, he raised a hand slowly to cup her cheek, watching the light play over her pale skin.

"Kiss me Neo." And he did.