Disclaimer: Well… uh… nothing's mine here – not even the characters that are made-up. Why? BECAUSE THEY BELONG TO THE ALMIGHTY MARIEKE! (AKA Ashley Hammond/Astro Yellow) And yes, they're all used with permission.
Author's Note: You don't HAVE to read Secrets Untold to understand this, but it's helpful. And I would assume that that would be the reason why you would read this! Other than that though, enjoy! (And yes, the first flashback is directly from Ch 1)
As It Should Have Been
Chapter 1
"We'll be back soon, Ash. I promise." Andros said, placing a tender kiss on his lover's lips.
"I'll be waiting." Ashley grinned, only a little sadly, enjoying the last few moments in the arms of the man she loved.
"And we'll get married the moment I get back." Andros promised lovingly, smiling at the way her eyes lit up.
"Okay, break it up you lovebirds." Zhane called jokingly. "Andros, your parents haven't seen you in three years and Karone even longer… and, well, my parents still think I'm dead." He frowned before adding, "Let's go ease their worries. The sooner we get this over with, the sooner you can be back her telling Ashley that 'you do'."
"Well, that's my call." Andros sighed, reluctantly pulling away from Ashley and taking a few steps back to the shuttle waiting for him.
"Take care." Ashley called after him, waving slightly. "All of you!" She added, with a reluctant little grin. "I don't want the three most important people of my wedding getting hurt – and I especially don't want to be a widow before I'm even married!"
Karone's jubilant laughter met her ears and Zhane just waved her away.
"Don't worry, we'll take care of ourselves and make sure Andros doesn't do anything stupid." He called. "See you in a few days, Ash."
'Yeah right.' Andros thought listening to the minister talk about growing love and the joys of marriage. 'See you in a few days, Ash. Andros won't do anything stupid, Ash. We'll make sure of that, Ash.' He thought mockingly and bitterly.
"I do." The voice of someone beside him cut through his bitter musings and he knew it was his turn.
"I… I…" Suddenly, his mind flashed with memories of him and Ashley… the first time they met… their first date… fighting together… talking together… the first time they kissed and… the first time they made love. Her promise to him and his vow to her… the vows…
"I don't." He declared, very well aware of the scandalous gasps and murmurs that suddenly filled the wedding hall.
Andros looked at his bride and shook his head slowly. "I'm sorry – but I can't go through with this." Ignoring her stunned look, he turned to the audience, catching sight of Karone and Zhane's proud smiles. They gave him the determination he needed to go through with this.
Opening his mouth, he was about to break into a run when a hand gripped his arm – and not too lightly.
"What are you doing?" A once-familiar voice hissed sharply in his ear.
"Mom…" He looked down at the woman he had once lovingly thought of as his Mum. "Lynette." He corrected himself, knowing that no longer could she be called his mom.
"I'm not going to marry her."
Breaking free of her grasp, he turned to the audience, weakly apologized for spoiling their afternoon, and then he ran.
Two Months Later"Welcome home, Ash!" Cassie exclaimed happily, hugging her pregnant best friend as she and Andros returned from their honeymoon.
Karone and Zhane came forward to greet their fellow happy newlyweds. The two had recently come back to Earth on their "honeymoon" and were now trying to explain to their parents exactly why they were choosing to stay on Earth now rather than go back to KO-35. (They were also trying to convince them not to disown Andros)
But the person in question could really care less about that, as he gazed fondly down at his bride – his real bride. Upon returning to Earth late at night, exhausted from his hike throughout the capital of KO-35 to find a teleporter, he had explained to Ashley all that had happened, and she had lovingly forgiven him, then he had lovingly kissed her and lovingly told her he loved her. Then she had lovingly told him that he was going to become a daddy.
Then he had lovingly fainted (we really don't know how he did that, but apparently he did. I suppose there are things only Andros can do...).
But he was overjoyed and they had begun to prepare for the wedding. And now, two months later, they were back from their honeymoon and as happy as ever.
Two Years Later"Andros?" Ashley walked up to her husband of two years (they had very recently celebrated their second anniversary)
"Yeah, Ash?" He asked absentmindedly, trying to feed two fussy one and a half year olds, making airplane noises and truck sounds as he guided the spoons towards their mouths.
"I – I'm pregnant," she blurted out, testing his reaction.
He froze, the spoon just inches from Chris's mouth. The toddler wailed softly, craning out his neck, reaching out his still-chubby arms to grasp futilely at the spoon.
Haha, Chyler shot telepathically at her twin from the other highchair, still contently swallowing her last spoonful. Daddy doesn't wanna food you anymore!
You're mean, he pouted, preparing to mind-scream at his sister, highly disappointed when he met her hastily erected mind shields. Unhappy that he couldn't disturb his twin, he opened his mouth and began to wail loudly. His mouth was immediately met by a large spoonful of mashed… stuff… Whatever it was, it was good!
Daddy gave me extra!, the toddler declared happily, his taste buds enjoying the food. But Chyler wasn't paying attention to him…
Why is Daddy on the floor?They both screamed to wake up Daddy. Daddy woke up. Mommy laughed. All in all, the two thought it was a very good start to the day.
Two Decades Later"My darling little daughter." Andros walked up to Chyler, now almost 22. "You're gorgeous," he added affectionately.
Giggling, she swatted her dad away playfully. "Daddy… It's really happening? I'm really getting married?" Her voice was hesitant, but there was an unmistakable joy in her eyes.
"You chose well," he admitted as Ashley came in.
"Oh, my baby," she sighed, moving over to stand next to their daughter.
Aine got up from her stool in the corner and walked over to her mom and dad.
"Well, Mom," she said amusedly, her slim, pale yellow dress swishing softly, "You ready?"
Ashley glanced at her second daughter, Aine, with a gentle smile. "I shouldbe asking you that, Miss. Maid of Honour."
The eighteen-year old laughed softly and wrapped an arm around Chyler. "It's your day, sis."
"Wouldn't be much of a day without the very special flower girl!" Andros added, raising his voice on the last part. They heard a very audible giggle from the silky white curtains and a little girl popped out, clothed in a cute little lilac dress trimmed with many (fake) flowers.
"Oh, Daddy," she pouted. "You ruined my hiding spot!"
"Kelelya," Ashley warned lightly. "You shouldn't be playing around – not today, and not so close to the ceremony."
Aine laughed, walking over to her little sister and bending down. "Laely1? Shall we go get your basket, flower girl?"
"Yes!" the little girl shrieked happily. "We can see Avidan too!"
"Yeah," she replied, amused at Kelelya's love for her little brother. "We can see him."
A little while later…Ashley slowly danced with Andros, both gazing fondly over at their daughter who was currently being transferred from her groom's arms to her protective brother's. Chris and Chyler twirled around each other happily, talking both silently and out loud, taking full advantage of their twin bond.
"Oh, Andros… Look at them…" Tears gathered in her eyes. "We're so lucky." Hesitating slightly, she added, touching on a subject they hadn't discussed in so long. "It makes me wonder sometimes – if…"
"If I'd said 'I do' all those years ago?" he finished for her, a distant look in his eyes.
"I think we still would have found our way back to each other," she decided. "We were meant to be; how else can we say that we met each other despite being born on different planets?"
Wrapping his arms around her, Andros drew her closer. "I love you, Ash," he whispered.
That night…It was so strange… Andros felt himself waking up in the middle of night… The bed wasn't as soft… and there was no familiar warmth snuggled up to him (Ashley)… Maybe she had gotten up to go to the bathroom? Or get a drink of water?
He felt something shift beside him.
He looked to the side.
He saw a pair of eyes open.
He saw a pair of BLUE eyes open.
"Hey, hubby."
He screamed.
Shooting up in bed, Andros exhaled and gulped in fresh air, suddenly glad it was all just a nightmare. Looking beside him, he saw the figure there push herself up sleepily and turn on the light. Upon seeing locks of sleep-tousled brown hair and luminous brown eyes awash in worry, he sighed in relief and threw his arms around Ashley.
"Um… I love you?" She asked, confused, yawning in the middle of her words.
"IloveyouIloveyouIloveyou, Ash!" he chanted breathlessly, adding at the end, "I had the worst nightmare!"
"Tell me," she said gravely, sagely, settling down on the bed cross-legged as Andros began to spill the darkest secrets of his worst nightmare…
All the while, Ashley was immensely grateful that life had turned out like this. And they had the most beautiful angels in the world to prove that.
So for now, their bloodline would continue with the latest addition to their family – Chyler and the family she was sure to be expecting soon.
Two Centuries Later"Hurry up, Sara!" Sebastiaan Hammond exclaimed to his twin sister as she stood by their school entrance, still talking with her friends. She rolled her eyes at him before calling bye to her friends and jogging over to him.
"You take forever," he complained irritably, walking forward briskly. "We have to start that Ancestry Project today!"
Upon arriving home, they were shoved towards a snack by their mother and decided to start their project. Explaining the report and family tree they had to create, Lynn Hammond drifted off slightly, remembering how her father and grandfather would always talk about her great-grandfather telling them stories – which they passed down to her – about her great-great grandfather: the Red Astro Ranger.
A smile on her lips, she began to tell her own kids those stories, beginning with these words: "Your great-great grandfather, Avidan – did you know he was the son of Andros, the Red Astro Power Ranger?" And with that, the stories began to flow.
About Andros.
About Zhane.
About Karone and Astronema.
About Ashley.
And the spirits of Lynette, Andros and Ashley looked down from heaven, smiling as their life stories were passed down (well, Andros and Ashley's were – Lynette was dragged along with them so she could see just how well life turned out even though Andros didn't marry Maura.)
"Mom, I hate to say this, but I told you so."
"Son, I already agreed to make a public apology – what more do you want?"
"Uh… don't forget the singing."
"I know! Mary had a little lamb… though I have no idea who this Mary is and why she would have a lamb…"
"And the anonymous handwritten notes."
"My hand is already tired."
"Thanks Mom – you're the best." Andros grinned at his mother and walked away with Ashley.
"I can see why I married you," the former (REALLY former…) yellow ranger declared.
"Because you were pregnant?" Andros teased.
Opening her mouth to retaliate, Ashley thought better of it and nodded lightly, "Yeah – that was it. "
Shoving her lightly, Andros began to chase his wife, the two running all over heaven, encountering many people from their life along the way, all living happily in eternal bliss.
So, in the end, it really was better this way. As it should have been.
Author's Note 2: Wait! Sara and Sebastiaan Hammond belong to me! So does their mom, Lynn Hammond! (And if you're wondering why she has the last name Hammond if her great-great grandfather was Andros, then… um… she could be a single mom or something or she could have married a Kerovan with no last name so they took her's! I don't know – use your imagination.) As for Ashley and Andros's other kids… do they belong to Marieke or me? You'll have to find out later in Secrets Untold… BECAUSE I'M NOT TELLING! … Okay, extremely long A/N. I'm going to shut up now.
Review!
And yes, I changed the first part where Andros fainted to 'lovingly fainted'. Blame Marieke.
But review anyway!