How Could You?
TJ and Cassie took the lifeless Andros to the medical bay and put him on one of the beds.
'Deca, what's wrong with him?' Cassie asked.
'Andros has three broken ribs, he will loose consciousness for about four hours and then when he wakes up he will have a very big headache. When he wakes up he will need a lot of painkillers,' the AI replied to Cassie's question.
'We'll leave him here and take turns on checking on him till he gets up,' TJ told Cassie.
'OK, I'll start. You get some shut – eye and go see if Ash is OK,' Cassie said to TJ.
'Are you sure?' TJ asked her.
'Yeah I think I'll manage Teej,' Cassie told her friend. TJ went over to hug Cassie, tapped Andros' shoulder before leaving the room. He walked towards the dinning area as his stomach began to groan.
****
Once Ashley had finished crying and Trey had picked her off the floor. He pushed her half the way to the dining area and she dragged her feet for the other half.
'Stop moping!' Trey screamed at Ashley. Ashley looked at him all her emotions rising up – anger, sadness, hurt and pain.
'What do you mean stop moping! You hurt Andros when he couldn't morph and then you forced me to break up with him when he didn't even have an idea of what I was talking about, you didn't let me go to him because you wanted to eat! And you want me to stop moping!' Ashley yelled at Trey. He was about to answer when TJ came into the room. TJ saw Ashley and moved to her straight away.
'What happened?' he asked.
'Nothing she's just being a baby,' Trey said.
'Ashley?' TJ asked.
'It's nothing Teej I'll be fine. Why aren't you with Andros?' she asked worriedly.
'He's fine. Cassie's with him,' he answered her question.
'Why is Cassie with him?' Ashley asked feeling herself get quite jealous.
'He has some broken ribs and is going to be asleep for about four hours. Me and Cass are going to have turns looking after him just in case he wakes up early or something,' TJ answered.
'Can I go after you? Please?' Ashley asked him.
'Sure you can but get some sleep first OK,' TJ told her.
'Babe what happened to dinner?' Trey asked.
'I'm tired and going to sleep I don't want to talk to you,' Ashley told Trey as she walked out of the room.
'Yeah Wateva!' Trey said and he walked to his room.
****
Ashley woke up two hours later and climbed out of bed.
'Deca, who is with Andros?' she asked.
'TJ,' Deca replied politely.
'Thanks,' Ashley said before leaving for the medical bay. Ashley walked in the halls and when she reached the medical bays the door opened to reveal TJ. 'Hey what's up Teej?' she asked.
'Nothing I was just coming to get you,' he told her.
'OK then I'll call you if anything changes,' she told him as he began to walk away.
'Yeah sure,' TJ said. Ashley watched him as he disappeared in the hallway and turned and walked into the room. She almost cried at the sight. Andros lay there still and silent. She hated seeing him like this. She moved to his bed and immediately took his hand.
Ashley sat there for an hour and didn't take her eyes of Andros. She sat in different positions but never left his face or dropped his hand. 'Andros please,' she begged him. Just then she felt his hand move under hers. His body stirred and a moan escaped from his mouth. 'Andros?' Ashley questioned. His eyes began to flutter and he turned his head toward Ashley. Andros' eyes opened and he saw Ashley smile at him. 'Hey,' she told him and he smiled.
'Hi,' he answered her.
'Are you OK?' she asked him.
'Yeah I'm good just need to go see what's wrong with my morpher,' he answered and he started to get up when he groaned and held his sides.
'No! Nuh Uh! You are not going anywhere. You scared me when you fell. I thought you were gone and I never want to feel like that again. So you need to stay here and get better before I get a heart attack. Got It?' Ashley yelled and Andros couldn't help but laugh. He took both her hands in his and gave them a kiss.
'I'll be fine,' Andros tried to assure her.
'Andros please,' she started to beg then looked at Andros and met his eyes. 'Please just stay here for now,' she begged him and when he sighed she smiled in triumph. 'Thank you,' she said.
'Can I at least sit up,' he asked her and she shook her head. Ashley moved her hand under her shoulder and touched Andros' back. Andros moaned in pain as she did this. Ashley gasped and moved back a little. She watched him put himself up. 'Ashley it's nothing,' he told her.
'Andros why did you moan when I touched your back? Deca didn't say anything about your back. It was your ribs and your head. So what's wrong with your back?' Ashley asked as she moved closer to Andros.
'Nothing just a bruise,' Andros said.
'Can I see?' she asked and Andros went pale. He didn't want her to see because it wasn't just a bruise. It was a lot of bruises. The marks on his skin that haunted him every time he took a shower.
'Ashley seriously it's nothing OK,' he told her.
'If it's nothing then you wont mind telling me then would you?' Ashley asked sweetly and Andros began to anger up.
'JUST DROP IT!' Andros snapped and Ashley backed away from him. She felt the tears that went to her cheeks. Andros saw this and pain went to his face. 'Ashley. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry,' he said as he watched her. Ashley slowly walked towards him and he felt sad that she looked scared. 'Ashley please,' he said to her and she began to walk normally towards him. She reached him and he put his hands to her face. 'I really am sorry,' he told her and she nodded. He wiped her tears away and looked at her. She stood there in silent and didn't look at him once. Andros let go of her then began to remove his shirt. Ashley looked at him as he did this. He turned around so she could see his back. Ashley gasped and more tears fell from her eyes. She moved to him and traced the scars, marks and bruises. He didn't moan like he did before. He felt her soft touch on his skin. 'This is why I didn't want to show you,' he told her and then turned to look at her.
'I'm sorry Andros,' she said as she went to sit next to him. 'I shouldn't have. I should've trusted you. I'm sorry,' she said again to him.
'Its OK Ashley,' he told her.
'No it isn't, I'm such an idiot,' she told him and Andros cupped her cheek before moving down to kiss Ashley. They pulled back before Ashley asked, 'What happened?' Andros looked at her before sighing. He just sat there in silent, not looking at Ashley, not speaking to Ashley – he just sat there. 'You know what,' Ashley began and Andros turned to look at her. 'You don't have to tell me until your ready. I trust you and that's all that matters to me,' she told him and Andros looked surprised.
'You are special,' he told her and Ashley lay on his shoulder.
'We have reached Earth's surface,' Deca told them and Ashley smiled. She looked at Andros and saw a pained look on his face.
'What's wrong?' she asked him. 'I told you – you're going home soon,' she told him and he shook his head.
'It's not that,' he told her.
'Then what is it?' she asked again.
'You and Trey. I lost you Ashley. You are with him now and it's all my fault,' he told her.
'It's not your fault. He hit you when you couldn't morph. I don't blame you. TJ doesn't blame you and I'm sure Cassie doesn't blame you. He might have won but I don't like him. I like you,' she told him and Andros just looked at her.
'Thanks Ashley,' he told her quietly. 'You still want to know?' he asked her shortly after. Ashley gave him a nod and he turned so he could look at her. 'When I was younger after Karone was kidnapped…' he began but was interrupted when the door opened.
'Hey stay the hell away from my girl!' Trey screamed.
'Leave me alone Trey,' Ashley said as Trey began to pull her away from Andros.
'Ashley…' Andros began.
'Were home!" Cassie came in shouting with joy.
'About time!' TJ said as he followed shortly after. Cassie and TJ saw the tension in the room and decided to keep quiet. 'Hey Andros your awake!' TJ exclaimed as he went to give Andros a one-arm hug.
'Yeah thanks,' he said and Ashley just watched him.
'We should go. Justin said Aden, Mark and Jase are going to meet us at the new café in town,' TJ told then.
'Aden! Aden is there,' Ashley said excitedly. Andros began to anger up and both Ashley and TJ noticed it. 'Aden is my brother,' Ashley explained and Andros felt himself relax.
'Come on lets go. I want to change before we go back,' Trey motioned for Ashley to move.
'Go then,' she told him simply.
'Your coming with me!' he told her. 'I don't want you anywhere near stripy. Got it?' he told her and began to push her out of the medical bay.
'Fine whatever. Just let go of me,' she told him and he did immediately. Ashley took the chance to run over to Andros and gave him a quick but meaningful kiss. 'I love you Andros,' she whispered in his ear before looking at him then turning to leave. Andros stared at her eyes in shock. He watched as Ashley walked away from him. * She loves me * he thought. TJ heard what Ashley had said and watched the red ranger. Ashley was always like a little sister to him and he was happy that she was happy. Andros made Ashley happy and Ashley made Andros happy. * No one in this universe deserve to be together like Ashley and Andros * TJ thought.
'Come on. Lets go get you something to wear,' TJ told Andros.
'What wrong with what I'm wearing now?' he asked him.
'What's not wrong with what your wearing!" TJ exclaimed and bought a smile to Andros' lips. Cassie laughed at the two as they made there way to TJ's room to get Andros something to wear. This was going to be a great day.