Anything in italics is spoken in French.

Chapter 2

The next morning when Ashley woke up, Andros found himself proved right. She never talked about the dreams that had forced him out of bed. Instead, she dressed and went about her day. Looking out the observation port while sipping her coffee, she noticed that they were circling Earth and not Regal XVIII like they were supposed to be.

She went looking for her husband.

"Andros, how come we are back at Earth?" Ashley asked once she found him with his head stuck in the engines cleaning out some filters.

"Well, I got a transmission saying that something had come up on Regal XVIII and wouldn't be ready for us for another month," Andros explained. "Carlos was wanting to get back to his wife and family. so I decided to come back here for a bit so you and I could take a much needed vacation." Andros smiled as he straightened up and turned to face his wife.

"Oh… Andros, you're so sweet, but why come to Earth for a vacation? We have the whole universe at our disposal. Surely you would rather go somewhere else," Ashley cooed as she laid her head on Andros's shoulder, playing with his red shirt.

"Yes, I know we do enjoy other places around the universe, but the fact remains your from Earth and other than what you and the rest of the Earth teams have taught me about Earth, I am still a stranger to mass parts of the world." He paused and rubbed her shoulder. "I want to pick a random country for us to explore for at least a week."

"Umm, that sounds good… As long as they speak English or Spanish, seeing as I know a little bit of Spanish from hanging with Carlos," Ashley whispered.

"I'll take that to mind when I choose the location." Andros laughed as he rubbed her back and went back to work. "But make sure you have your clothes packed for the trip by tonight, because once I get the plane tickets we will be leaving on the first flight."

At the airport, Andros led Ashley to the correct terminal and went through all the security stops. So far she didn't realize where they were going but he knew she would figure it out soon enough. And soon enough she did, when the voice on the loudspeaker announced that they were on a flight for Paris France.

"Andros, of all the places, did you have to pick France?" Ashley said, turning in her seat and looking at him.

"Well, I was talking with Carlos and he mentioned that you used to be an expert on France when you were younger, so I thought it might be a good idea if for this vacation you show me around." Andros replied with a sligh smirk on his face.

"Carlos told you that I don't like to talk about that past, didn't he?" she snapped, fuming. "I have good reasons as well and I would like greatly to get off this flight right now because France is the last place I want to be right now." Ashley looked very uncomfortable. However, when the announcement for lift off came, she sat down and followed directions.

"Ashley, why don't you want to go to France?" Andros asked calmly.

"One thing Carlos doesn't really know is that when I first came to Angel Grove, I had a different last name, but we weren't that close then. I was adopted about after arriving effectively changing my last name. I came to the states Ashley Hopper, but she is gone because I realized my father never cared for me. In essence that Ashley, the Ashley from France is no more. I have tried so hard to forget about her and the fact that her estranged father left her on the doorstep to her aunts house with little so much as a goodbye." Ashley wiped her tears.

"I won't ask anymore, but I want you to go to France. I'm sure that you have the strength to face your past, I have seen you face up to the UAE." Andros reached for his wife's hand, and she took his.

Once they had gotten off of the plane, Ashley looked at Andros. "Does it matter where we go?"

"No, I didn't have any specific reservations," Andros said, and Ashley nodded.

"I did some thinking on the plane and I would like to show you where I grew up." She took his hand and led him towards a bus. After buying two tickets for a bus destined to a town on the south side of Paris, they loaded their baggage. By the time they had gotten of of the bus and found a taxi to take them to a hotel, it was late. Once checked in, the jet lag from the trip caught up with them, and they fell asleep together in each other's arms.

The next morning dawned bright and cheery. After a few minutes of hesitating, Ashley decided she wanted to take a walk around her old neighborhood. The first sight she saw upon going onto the street was what had been her house, now abandoned and dilapidated. Gasping, she walked up to the front gate.

Andros looked at the house and walked up next to Ashley. She shook her head, whispering, "No, no, this can't be possible…" before pushing past him. She walked up the path and in the broken down door.

"Ashley?" Andros followed her in and glanced around the house.

"This used to be Ashley Hopper's house," she said, almost in a sort of trance. It took an effort to separate herself from who she was when she lived there. "I can't believe how trashed it is. It was true what my aunt said my father disappeared a while ago, because it has to have been a while since someone lived here…. what's left from being looted I can tell belonged to my sister," Ashley murmured.

Andros looked at her. "Ashley I knew somewhere inside you, you knew still knew French. You haven't shut it out completely." Ashley looked curiously at Andros, and he explained. "Just a few minutes ago you spoke French."

"No, I am sure you must be mistaken. I haven't spoken French since I was in the seventh grade. I'm not sure I even remember how to speak a decent sentence." Ashley denied what Andros had just heard. She turned and walked out the door and proceeded to walk further down the street.

Andros was about to catch up when Ashley absentmindedly bumped into a man wearing orange baggy pants and a pair of dark sunglasses. "Oh, I am sorry, sir," she apologized. "I guess I wasn't looking where I was going. I am just visiting my old stomping grounds."

"Do you know any French?" the man asked. "My English isn't that good."

Andros walked up to Ashley then. She looked at him and said forcefully, "I know a bit."

"Awesome. Hey do you know that you look familiar?" the man said taking off his glasses. "You remind me of someone."

"Really, how so?" Ashley asked, a bit more comfortably but still really nervous.

"Well, I had best get going. I have an appointment." He started walking on down the street and Ashley did the same, but being a bit more cautious about where she walked.

"I knew you still knew French, you just had to be convinced to talk in it." Andros grinned even though he didn't really know what had gone down in the conversation.

"I guess, but it still feels weird after eleven years of not speaking." Ashley continued down the street, pointing out houses and places she remembered. When she heard someone calling out from behind, she turned to see the man was coming back from behind her.

"Hey, I know where I know you from! I just realized it. Man, it is good to see you again; when your father had you move away, I never thought I was going to see you again."

"Excuse me, but you must have me mistaken for someone else," Ashley said, starting to turn back away.

"Ashley, you seriously don't remember who I am?" the man pleaded, taking his sunglasses back off.

At the mention of her name, she looked him over and looked into his eyes. She gasped before running towards him to hug him.