Author's Note: 80sHoe has the best commentary on my story I swear xD
This is a little bit of a filler chapter so sorry if it's a bit slow and boring. It's needed so that other stuff can happen. Better stuff, I promise.

So Neo held my hand. This poses a lot of questions for me now.

Does this mean I'm free to hold his hand whenever I want? Was I wrong, and he actually did like me? Did he intend for me to feel him kiss my head? Will it be seen as rude if I don't hold his hand or kiss him back?

I remember feeling sad when he took his hand away. It had been so warm. But at the same time, my hand never knows what to do when it's being held. I get hand anxiety; am I holding too tight? Is my hand sweaty? What do I do with my fingers?

Neo gave me 10 full minutes of hand anxiety, but I wouldn't trade them for anything.

But he also gave me several days of questions. Should I hold his hand again?

I was thinking about this while watching a young guy called Stats fix up my chair so the wheels ran smoother. I guess having a chair wasn't too incredibly horrible. Except for being used as a coat rack, the others would often come over and put little decorations on the handles or offer to design something on the wheels.

It was cute. Coda put little sticky-notes on it, folded as oragami flowers, and since then, I'd been making those stupid flowers whenever I was bored. I felt like there were hundreds of them.

In exchange for hand holding, maybe I should give one to Neo.

I was folding a flower for Neo when Stats came back over to help me get back in my chair. I'd actually gotten good at the transfer, so all he had to do was hold the wheelchair still.

"Thanks, Stats," I smiled. Stats was a really tall, lanky kind of guy who knew a lot of facts and statistics, which is what got him the nickname. It seemed like everyone had a little nickname--with the exception of Ezekiel, who refused to take one-- except for me.

I was fine being called Kate. Mainly, it sounded so lovely when Neo said it.

I started riding off in search of Neo. I felt like I was five again, sharing my toys with my "crush" because I didn't know how to talk to them.

Then again, I was never good at talking to people.

"H-Hey, Neo," I said to his back as he was hunched over a computer.

He turned around. For once in his life, he seemed upset over something. He tried for a smile, but just seemed... off.

"I, uh, I was making these and... I had a bunch so I was gonna... give you one..."

I held up the little oragami flower and felt really dumb doing it.

"Thanks," he said.

Wow, that's pretty unenthusiastic. I mean, it's just a paper flower, but still...

I decided to finally go for his hand. I reached out for him and grasped his fingers softly. He stood there for a second before he pulled his hand out of my grip.

Oookay, that hurt a little.

I could feel my face on fire. I folded my hands in my lap awkwardly. Stop fidgeting.

"Bad day, Neo?" I asked him.

He shrugged, "Stressed."

He leaned back over the computer, paper flower beside him.
Please stop leaning like that.

There was silence between the two of us, just the clicking of the computer. I liked watching his fingers.

"Anything I can do, Neo?"

"Not really," he sighed.

"Okay, what's the matter?" I asked, a little impatiently.

"It doesn't concern you,"

What has gotten into him?! I get that everyone has bad days once in a while but this is ridiculous.

He kept glancing over at Trinity, who was working not too far from us. He looked from me to her and ran a hand through his short black hair.

Oh. A Trinity problem. Time to leave.

I went to distract myself with Stats for a while longer. It was cool to hear some of the facts he had to tell me. No sense getting involved in Trinneo drama, especially if Neo wanted some alone time with her. It hurt too much to think about, so I thought about the feeling of his hand in mine.

***

Stats and I made paper flowers for a while. He was quiet, like me. He had dark, curly hair and glasses, and his hair was almost always in his face. He had some good quips and jokes sometimes, but mostly would negotiate the odds and likelihood of dome of the missions the others would go on.

While Neo was training me in fighting, Stats was on the other end teaching me computers. After some lessons from him, I went out to talk to Neo and Morpheus about some questions that had been stewing for a while.

As I was approaching, I could hear a very fast-paced conversation between Morpheus, Neo, and Trinity. It was quiet and low, but I still caught something.

Winship. Now I was paying attention.

"Are you guys talking about me?" I piped up.

"This doesn't concern you," Neo said quickly.

"It does, I heard my name,"

"Nothing to worry about," Trinity assured me.

"You're talking about me and I don't have a right to know what's going on here?"

"Kate, please," Trinity started.

"Is my mother in danger?"

"No," Neo reassured me, "We've looked at her file and she's doing fine."

"So... what aren't you telling me here?"

Neo rolled his eyes, "We'll tell you when we find out."

"Then can you tell me what the agents are? You guys rescued me from a guy called Smith, and as of now, I don't even know what the big deal about him was," I argued.

"Look, we'll explain everything in due time--"

"It's been two and a half weeks. I find out I can't walk and that I live as a human battery. Aside from crappy fight programs and breaking my nose on concrete from jumping off a building, what have you actually shown me?

"You all made such a big deal over this Smith guy, getting me into a car and speeding off to escape him, then I dont hear anything about him since!"

"We figured the wheelchair would be bad enough for you to have to take in. We're trying to give you time to adapt..."

Time to adapt. That's a basic translation to "You're a slow learner."

I reached for Neo's hand to get his attention, but he pulled it out of my reach and gave a pointed look at Trinity. This was not the Neo I fell in love with, who was patient and kind.

I was getting frustrated.

"Neo, seriously, what is your problem? You guys are treating me like I'm a child! I'm kinda getting sick of it. I get that I'm a slow learner and can't fly in the Matrix yet, but you're treating me like I'm five! Just give me the truth for crying out loud!"

What has gotten into me? To all of us? Everyone has bad days but this is ridiculous.

"You guys are ridiculous," I grumbled, wheeling away from them, "I just want to know if my mom is okay, and you're acting like it's such a crazy request. Whatever, I'm taking a break."

I started heading for my own cabin, but found myself caught against one of the chairs. Neo came over to help me out, but I didn't want it. I pointedly pushed myself away, but unfortunately, his foot was in the way.

"Oww!" He shouted, grabbing his foot in pain and shooting me a glare. "What is wrong with you!?"

He thought I would do that on purpose. I can't believe this.

Tears in my eyes, I looked at him, "I can't walk, Neo. That's what's wrong. And none of you ever let me forget it. I'm being babied. And right now you're having a mood swing. Maybe you should get some chocolate for your freaking man-period."

Silence.

"Kate,"

"Forget it."

***

I spent three hours cursing at my cabin wall. Cursing myself. Cursing Neo, cursing Trinity, cursing this chair.

I couldn't help that I was a slow learner. I could help that I couldn't walk. And I don't know what's gotten into Neo, going from hugs and kisses to suddenly not even wanting to touch me.

This was not the Neo I fell in love with. But it was the Neo that fell in love with Trinity.

There was a knock on my door.

"Go away,"

"Kate?" It was Coda.
Crap, I yelled at one of the only people on this ship who takes me seriously.

"What, Coda?" I huffed.

"You missed dinner. I wanted to bring you something."

He came in with a tray and something that looked like a sandwich.

"I'm not really hungry," I said, not looking at him.

"Yeah, but you will be. Hey, I saw what happened. Don't let Neo get the best of you. He's just stressed out. He feels pretty bad for--"

"Let him tell me that, then. Ugh, sorry Coda, I'm just--"

"Sick of being treated like a kid? Yeah, I know." Coda sat down on my bed and looked at his shoes.

"That's all they do with me. It's hard, everyone else is 5 or 10 years older than me, and they all act like I'm just some young, dumb kid. Yeah, I'm not as good as everyone else, but they kinda remind me of that a lot.

"I've been here three times as long as you, and you've already made more progress in your fighting than I have." He wasn't looking at anything, just staring at the floor.
"I know exactly how you feel. You've got dumb legs, I've got a dumb brain."

"Coda, you're one of the smartest people here,"

Coda smiled darkly. "Thanks I guess."

Silence.

"Give Neo some time and he'll warm up again. He just heard a rumor that he's going to lose someone very close to him, and it's really got him stressed."

I bet he's more concerned that it would be Trinity than it would be anyone else on the ship.

"Thanks Coda. You're a good guy, you know that?"

He smiled a little.

"Well anyway, that's there if you're hungry. I'll uh.... seeya."

"Seeya, Coda."

He patted me on hm the arm as if he didn't know what else to do, then awkwardly shuffled out of the room, leaving me to my thoughts.