"Are you saying you'll do it?" Ashley looks back and forth between Kim and Tommy, unable to believe what she just heard.
Kim nods, smiling at her as she pats the other girl's hand. "I think it'll be fun to wear the suit again. It's been so long…"
"Are you sure?" Andros asks, hesitantly glancing at Tommy. He's not usually nervous but in front of the former rangers, he's seemed to let the nerves get the better of him. "I don't want to talk you out of it but you don't know what you're going up against."
"Can't be much worse than what we've gone through already," says Tommy, stretching his arms above his head.
Andros frowns. "You would think so but it's still-"
"Don't worry Andros!" Kim chirps cheerily. "The rest of your team is there and they'll help us with all the technicalities and whatnot." She waves a hand dismissively.
"You're going against the master of evil," Andros says seriously. He always did wonder how someone as flighty, almost, was able to save the world but he likes Kim as a person. She's just not really ranger material.
Then again, she was one of the original, chosen by Zordon, so who is he to contradict?
"He will stop at nothing. We already destroyed him once but apparently he's strong enough to come back," continues Andros, running a hand through his hair.
"He was just bidding his time I guess," Ashley adds. "Or gaining back his strength until he could resume solid form or something."
"Why do they always seem to find a way to come back?" mutters Tommy unhappily. Kim shrugs, patting Tommy lightly on the arm.
"It's in their nature, I guess."
"Are you really okay with this?" Ashley bites her lip hesitantly. "I mean…you have normal lives now. You did this to get away from being a ranger but we're just dragging you back into it. I know you wanted to stop, Kim, and Tommy, you've built up your life here. I don't want you to do this because you feel like you have to."
"Oh Ashley," laughs Kim, tilting her head back. "A ranger's duty is never done. You can't really escape from it."
"I'm just surprised this hasn't happened sooner," Tommy adds, smiling at them. "You forget, I already became a ranger again and again. I might still after this. So it's not a big deal if this doesn't work out." He gestures around them. "I can just create a new life somewhere else. It won't be the first time and certainly won't be the last."
Ashley blinks. "So you're…okay with this?"
"I'm pretty good at building stuff back up," Tommy reassures her. Kim gives him a pointed look.
"With my help, of course.
Ashley grins widely at them. "You guys are the best! Really, you're so nice to do this for me, for us, and I can't ever repay you."
"Don't worry about it, Ash," says Kim lightly. "We don't need any payment for protecting the world. The fact we need to is payment enough."
"We'll make sure to help you from down here," Andros adds. He feels a little weird about giving up being a ranger so quickly-for now anyway.
But he takes one look at Ashley and he knows it's worth it.
Ashley smiles again before jumping up and tugging on Andros's hand. "Come on! I want you to meet them!"
The red Astro ranger follows her helplessly, leaving Kim and Tommy chuckling quietly to themselves.
Ashley leads him to her bedroom and over to the crib in the corner. "It's their naptime, I guess."
"Yeah." Andros looks down at them, a look of almost wonder on his face. It's odd, but he feels like if he and Ashley did…have kids, they would look something like this.
"That's Zylan," Ashley says, pointing to the boy curled up to the side of the crib, his breathing slow and even. "And Karona." She gestures to the little girl beside him, holding tightly to a small teddy bear.
Andros has a small smile on his face. "They're very peaceful."
"Just for now," laughs Ashley quietly. "Wait until they wake up. It'll be a lot louder, believe me."
Andros nods, continuing to gaze at them. He can imagine taking care of them quite clearly, if he lets himself think that far. It's something he's always wanted secretly, managing a family.
He never thought he would get the opportunity after his sister was taken and home destroyed. He never let himself think that far into the future.
But now with Ashley…she had given him hope. She had given him hope for a new life, a new love, a new start.
A/N: I know. I'm a terrible person. I've left this story alone for far too long. I wouldn't say I've lost inspiration for it, exactly, just that updates will be slow. Very slow. Fair warning. And I'm sorry if it seems rushed or anything, that's really not my intention. Despite my terrible timing, I hope you all enjoyed it anyhow and leave a review!
Unless it's to give me crap about being slow in updating. I feel bad enough already.