AUTHOR: always krissy
AUTHOR'S NOTES: Wow, a first PR fic in ages. Written for Jase, because I told him to pick a pairing. :D
PAIRING: Ashley/Carlos, implied Andros/Ashley
RATING: G
It was over when it had hardly begun.
It shouldn't have been a surprise, but part of him ached when he realized that they wouldn't be together anymore. Not together in the sense he wanted, anyway. Who would have thought a kiss could break a two year bond?
It was shattered now.
Memories seemed sour.
How could it be so wrong, when it should be so right? When he'd brushed his lips against her's, he'd felt something. Electricity, this new found joy, but when he'd pulled away from her, to tell her how beautiful she was, she was crying.
Tears of liquid. Of sorrow, of pity.
"I can't do this," she told him, "I can't love you, Andros. It just won't work."
He'd numbly nodded, and didn't ask why, just said, "Okay."
Now, when he remembered, everything was blank, or wrong.
The smile she'd given to him, on her birthday, was mocking. Her eyes, which had once gleamed happily when spotting him, were jaded with indifference. The laugh she'd had, just for him, was gone, and replaced with a hollow croaking sound. Remembered hugs were slaps in the face. The emotions in her voice, when she'd told him, "I *like* you Andros," was suddenly blank, all traces of emotion gone. Just... gone.
It was just wrong. Everything was wrong.
Zhane understood.
He tried to assure him that the feeling went away, it disappeared, and then you could remember moments with a fond sadness.
Andros scoffed at him and told him to get out of his quarters.
He didn't want to remember her fondly, but he understood. She had to be happy, even when he was miserable.
---
It had broken her heart to tell him it was over.
She had been thinking that for months, but she had never known for sure, until he'd kissed her for the first time.
She'd been patient, and understanding, and waited while he adjusted to the fact that someone actually *liked* him.
But sometimes, you couldn't wait forever, even when it was Andros.
Carlos had been her best friend, since before she could remember. She remembered meeting him for the first time, in second grade, and how some bully fifth grader had tried to take her lunch money, but Carlos had intervened, and gave him a black eye, and it was the first and last time he ever fought in school. Soon after, between soccer, and being her best friend, he began martial arts classes. Then middle school started, and they both became too busy, and their friendship started fading, but then they'd met each other again in high school, and became Power Rangers together, and she realized she'd loved him since she was seven.
She had never kissed Carlos, except once in second grade, which had just been a 'thank you for saving my lunch' across his cheek. He'd 'ewwww'd and told her that girls were gross, and to never do that again if they were to become friends.
So she never had.
One day, after they'd saved the world, Carlos told her how he was jealous of Andros. Jealous of lots of things, but most of all, because he had her all to himself. He told her he missed their nights together: staying up all night to study, movie nights on the weekends, and dinners with her parents, but most of all, he missed knowing her.
'You've changed,' he told her, 'you aren't the same anymore, and that scares me. Before, I could read you like a book, but now you're a mystery. I can't tell if you like me anymore.'
His words had stuck with her for a long time, especially as her relationship with Andros expanded from 'just friends' to 'going out.' He held her hand now, and touched her face, but had never kissed her. She thought she was in love with Andros, and kissing could wait, because he was everything she ever wanted in a guy: her knight in shining armor. But even that title needed time for everything else.
She still thought that about him, even after she'd been in tears, telling Andros they couldn't be together. She had wanted to love him, but something was just off. He still wouldn't tell her his secrets, he closed himself off even more when Karone ran away, and it was just too much. She needed more. Something he wouldn't be able to give to *her.*
And she'd found that 'more,' when Carlos had found her, when she'd run off, still in tears.
He hadn't said a word, just wrapped her into his arms, and held her while the tears fell again. He'd brushed a kiss on top of her head, hugged her tighter, and Ashley fell into a calm silence.
Maybe she hadn't changed that much, she thought, and when she pushed herself tighter in the embrace, she knew she really hadn't.