Disclaimer: Not mine! Belongs to the very rich Disney people. (...but maybe someday. Donations?)

A/N: ( ::blows noisemaker and hands out cake to my wonderful readers:: Since today was my 22nd birthday, here is my gift to you!) Sorry for taking so long guys (it seems I'm always saying that). Ever since my last update I've been in a writing slump. Thanks to some awesome friends who very effectively threatened me when I asked for their help with making me write. Though I don't feel it's one of my best, I hope you enjoy!

Celeron Red: Glad you liked the chapter and I hope you enjoy this one!

Alexandra Khayman: ::hugs:: 'My' apologies for taking so long to get this out.

Purplestripe66:Woo, more love! Dealing with Astra/Astronema...next chapter definitely. Hehe, nope, no capturing in the near future. ;) Thanks for giving me the extra push that I needed to get this finished, I hope it turned out good.

Behind the Mask

Chapter 12: Brooding

"They're out!" Ashley exclaimed with a sigh of relief when the Megaship's sensors picked up four Galaxy Gliders heading their way. She waited a few seconds and then reported, "And it looks like they weren't followed." She turned around in her seat to face Carlos, who had gone back to his station, and smiled. "They'll be here shortly."

Carlos grinned in reply. "I told you so."

Ashley smirked at him, knowing exactly what he was talking about. She stood, not saying anything, and headed for the megalift, almost skipping. Carlos quickly followed her and the two of them were waiting in the work bay when the others arrived.

The rangers each appeared in front of their own jump tube simultaneously. Ashley quickly gave them all the once over and noticed that the rangers looked, for the most part, unscathed. She also noticed that Zhane was carrying Astra. She definitely looked the worse for wear; her eyes were half closed and she was very relaxed in Zhane's arms. Though if that was due to her injuries or because it was Zhane, Ashley didn't know. She rushed forward to help, asking, "Did you guys make it out okay?"

To Zhane's right, Cassie answered, "We ran into some trouble getting out, but we're fine for the most part."

"And we need to get you to the medical bay," Ashley heard Zhane mutter to the barely conscious Astra. She made no point to argue as Zhane demorphed and moved past Ashley to head to the medical bay.

"So what happened?" Ashley heard Carlos ask from behind her as the other three rangers demorphed and made their way over to their lockers.

TJ gave Carlos a sarcastic remark which made Ashley grin as she approached Andros. She wanted to throw her arms around in a hug, and would have, but he looked like something was bothering him. He hadn't said a word since they had returned. Finally at his side, she suddenly realized that she didn't know what to say to him. He closed his locker and glanced at her, noticing that she was so close now. He raised his eyebrows in silent question.

"So... you got your morpher back," she stated awkwardly. The others slowly made their way out of the work bay, leaving the two alone.

"Yeah," Andros answered kind of stiffly, not meeting her eye. He didn't want to be rude with Ashley; he knew that she had been worried about him, but he didn't really want to talk to anyone right now. Some of what Shade had said to him had really got him to thinking. He had to know him from somewhere, if what he said to him was true.

He could feel Ashley's worried gaze on him as he stood there thinking. She put her hand on his arm and asked, "Andros, are you okay?"

This time he did look her in the eye as he replied softly, "Sorry, Ash, I just need to be alone for awhile." He moved around her, seeing the small flash of disappointment and hurt on her face, and walked out of the work bay.

He didn't really know where he was going, he just knew that he wanted to be alone. He aimlessly followed his feet and found himself in front of the engine room. Deciding this was as good a place as any, he walked in and climbed the ladder to the little catwalk that partially encircled the engine. He sat down slowly, making sure that he couldn't be seen from the doorway if anyone wandered in, and dangled his feet over the edge. He leaned his head against the the handrail, now at eye-level. The cool surface soothed him and he closed his eyes, thinking back to the fight with Shade and what he said.

"Want? I only want what was meant for me... I want my life back. But I'll never get it back because of you. Because you failed."

The words came back to him with the same effect that they had had on him before. He frowned to himself as he searched his memories for a clue as to who it was that would be this angry with him for ruining their life. He couldn't remember ever seeing Shade before almost a week ago, but now he knew one thing for sure: Shade definitely knew him.

He didn't know when he had fallen asleep or how long he'd been asleep, but he opened his eyes when he heard the door to the engine room open and someone enter. He stayed quiet, hoping that whoever it was wouldn't find him. But a few seconds later, he heard the muffled sound of boots on the rungs of the ladder to the catwalk. Sighing inwardly, he closed his eyes again.

"Hey," came Ashley's soft voice as she settled herself down next to him and dangled her legs over the edge. He lifted his head and looked at her, sudden guilt hitting him full force for running out on her earlier. "Ash, I--"

Ashley shook her head. "It's okay," she told him with a smile. "Oh," she paused and turned away from him, then turned back and offered him a cup. "Brought you some hot chocolate."

"Thanks," he replied, taking the glass from her. She turned away from him once more and had another glass when she faced him again. Andros frowned at her. "How'd you climb up here with those?" he asked.

"I'm talented?" she answered with a slight grin.

A few minutes passed in silence, while they both enjoyed their hot chocolate. Setting her cup down, Ashley finally spoke, breaking the calm serenity that had fallen on them. "The others told me what happened with Shade. Wanna talk about it?"

Andros sighed and brought his gaze to hers, then looked away to stare at the engine in front of him. "I wish I knew who he was... where I've met him before..." He looked back at her. "He said that I took his life from him, that I failed..." He shook his head and ran a hand through his hair. "I've never seen him before now, at least not that mask anyway. I wonder who's behind that mask. I have to have met him before, but where? And what did I do to him that ruined his life?" He looked to Ashley for an answer.

She laid a hand on his arm and sighed. "I wish I knew the answers so I could reassure you," she told him, smiling sadly. He reached over and put his hand on hers, still resting on his arm. "I know," he told her, "Thanks for listening Ash, you reassure me just by being here."

She smiled at him and watched as he finished his hot chocolate. "Thanks for this, too; it was really good."

"I figured you could use it, since you've been holed up in here all day. I'd have brought you something to eat too, but there's no way I could have made it up that ladder with two drinks and a plate of food," she replied.

"I am kinda hungry," he admitted.

"Well, come on," she said, pulling her legs up to stand, "let's go get something to eat, I'm kinda hungry too." She got to her feet and reached down to help him up. Grinning slightly, he took her hand and stood.

He followed Ashley down the ladder and asked, "Is it very late?"

"Not real late, it's nine-thirty in Angel Grove," she said, then scrunched up her nose. "A little late to go down there to eat, though. I hope you weren't craving real food."

Andros paused as his feet found the floor and smirked at Ashley with raised eyebrows. "Real food? I happen to like food from the Synthetron, thank you."

Ashley giggled a little and pushed a button on a panel beside the door to open it. "You just got used to it."

"Maybe," Andros said with a shrug, and followed Ashley out into the corridor.

Andros paused as they passed the medical bay, wanting to see how Astra ('Astronema,' his mind corrected) was doing. He didn't know why exactly, but he couldn't bring himself to open the doors and go in. He knew that they could trust her for now, but he wondered exactly what she would do once she was feeling better. Would she turn on them and go back to the Dark Fortress, or would she stay and help?

Ashley noticed his hesitation and stopped as well. "I know, it's kinda weird, isn't it?" she said softly. "That Astronema's here, I mean?"

"Yeah," he replied, bringing his gaze to hers. It was eerie how she could read him sometimes. "How's she doing?"

Ashley sighed slightly and motioned for him to walk with her. He stayed by her side, but she didn't speak until they got in the megalift. "She's doing a lot better, but Shade really did a number on her." She sighed again and shook her head. "He tortured her," she muttered, anger clear in her voice as she glared at the floor of the lift.

The two of them stepped off the lift when it stopped and headed for the work bay. "Zhane was really worried about her," Ashley continued. "He really sees something in her. He was still with her when I left to find you. She was sleeping then."

He nodded as they entered the work bay. Ashley moved ahead of him to the Synthetron, then turned. "So, what are you hungry for?"

He shrugged. "You pick something, I trust you," he said, smirking at her.

"Okay, but don't blame me when you don't like what I get ya," she replied with a grin, and turned back to the Synthetron. She pushed a few buttons and then made her way to the table with two plates. She sat them down, left again, and brought back drinks.

His thoughts went back to that morning when it was just the two of them. It seemed so long ago now. He realized that she wasn't limping anymore, now that he thought about it. He'd been so deep in his own thoughts earlier that he didn't notice. "I see your ankle's not bothering you anymore," he said as she sat down.

She grinned slightly and took a bite of the food on her plate. He finally looked down at his and realized that she had got them both the same thing, though it was still something of which he had no idea. "What is this?" he asked, looking at the layers of noodles and cheese, among some other foreign ingredients.

"A random pick, like you said," she said, her eyes sparkling to match her grin. "It's called lasagna. Try it, you'll like it," she urged.

He reluctantly got a little on his fork and tried it. "Mmmm," he said raising his eyebrows, "This is good."

"See, told you," she giggled. Her face sobered as the laughter died from her features. "I was really worried about you today," she admitted softly.

Andros reached across the table and put his hand on her arm. "I'm sorry, Ash, I didn't mean to scare you." He paused for a second, then chuckled a little. "Zhane noticed."

Ashley's eyes rose to his in curiosity. "Huh?"

"Zhane noticed," he repeated. "Almost as soon as we got in the fighter he started bugging about being careful. I thought he was just trying to annoy me, but then he told me that the whole reason he kept bugging me was because you were worried. Of course, he told me that after we left and were on our way back," he finished wryly.

Ashley grinned slightly but stayed silent. "Ash, are you okay?" Andros asked when her silence became unbearable.

She brought her eyes to his and he finally saw all the worry buried deep within them. "What do we do now?" she asked, not pausing to let him answer. "Astra might decide that her brain just went on a mental lapse and turn against us, Shade is the most powerful being that we have come across yet, and Ecliptor is still heading the Dark Fortress in Astronema's absence. What are we gonna do?" she repeated.

Andros let out a long sigh, and answered her in all honesty. "I don't know."

A/N: Phantom Rogue and I have started up the "We Need A Hero" Power Rangers Fanfiction Awards over on Livejournal. We need your help to nominate and vote for awards. Come check us out at community(dot)livejournal(dot)com(slash)pr(underscore)heroes...and if that was too confusing, there's a link on my profile page.