Dedication: Hey everyone, please don't forget to give my friend Ashley Hammond/Astro Yellow reviews on her story Between the Black and White! Without her this story wouldn't even exist!
Chapter 21: Moving on
Andros let out a sigh as the healer was checked his leg. "Everything seems to be healing, the muscles and ligaments are taking the longest to heal," he explained.
"Probably because when my Galaxy Glider was shot out from underneath me, the back of it broke off and almost took my leg with it," Andros replied.
"Well, you're able to use it yet. You'll need the cane for a little while longer," he stated, handing Andros the cane in question.
Andros took he cane and slid down the examination table. "How does the princess fair?" the healer asked.
"She's doing well," Andros replied.
"The baby?" the healer asked.
"Growing," Andros replied.
The healer nodded and patted his shoulder before Andros left.
Later, Andros walked into his study to find his wife sitting at his desk. Dark circles were under her eyes, her hair was up in a messy ponytail and she was dressed in baggy sweatpants and a wide T-shirt. Walking up behind her, Andros moved his hands over her shoulders. Leaning back in the chair, she let out a deep breath. "Casual day today?" he murmured rubbing her shoulders.
"Sai's been fussy the past few nights. It doesn't feel right for the nanny to have to deal while I sleep," she answered. "Who knew babies could be this much work?"
"Every parent that came before us," he told her with a laugh. "And you could've asked me to sit with him so you could sleep."
"You need your rest for healing. I'll be fine, just didn't feel like making any effort today."
"Well, you still look as beautiful as always," Andros told her, wincing to himself at his wording. He felt her shoulders stiffen for a moment before they relaxed again.
Ashley turned her head and captured his lips for a brief kiss. Then she got up and started to walk away.
"Ashley?" Andros called out to her in question.
"Sai needs feeding," she shot him an apologetic smile over her shoulder.
Andros sighed as he watched her leave. He'd managed to ruin another good moment and yet he was still none the wiser why she reacted so badly to being called beautiful, though he suspected his mother-in-law had a hand in that. Again.
Ashley hurried away from the office and down the hall. In the nursery and she smiled as she took her son into her arms. She sat down, holding her baby in her arms. She nursed him happily, rubbing his tiny arm with her index finger. "Ashley, cover yourself, be a lady," Meranda scolded her. "And what do you think you're wearing?" Ashley glanced at her.
"What are you doing here?" Ashley asked.
"I'm allowed to visit my grandson," Meranda replied.
Ashley rocked in the rocking chair. "He's eating," Ashley replied.
"You have rejected every wet nurse I have offered, this isn't natural," Meranda told her.
"Feeding my son isn't natural?" Ashley asked, raising her brow.
"You have other duties," Meranda answered.
"Her duty is raising a happy, healthy child," Andros stated as he limped in the room.
Meranda looked at Andros. "I don't think this is something you should be seeing," she answered.
"Why? I've seen her feed Sai before," Andros replied as he sat down.
Andros looked at Meranda. "And I have seen my wife naked before, Meranda, I have many abilities but impregnating women by just looking at them isn't one of them," he added. Ashley's cheeks turned red a little and her eyes went to Sai.
They got Sai fed and down for another nap.
Ashley found her husband walking through the gardens towards the lake. She suddenly found herself looking in the mirror beside her, checking her hair. She let out a deep breath. She still looked the same as when he found her in his study, but he hadn't seemed to mind. With a little apprehension she went outside.
Andros let out a deep breath, the pain in his leg was worse when he would walk for long periods of time especially on unstable ground. "How are you feeling?" Ashley asked. Andros stopped and looked over at her.
"I'll be better when I can walk without my leg feeling like it's on fire," he replied with a heavy breath.
Ashley stood beside him as they stared out at the lake. "It's so beautiful out here," she murmured.
"It was always one of my favorite places. Calms my mind," he answered.
Ashley looked around and she realized this was the spot Andros had gotten up the courage to kiss her and she ended up running from him. "I need to thank you," she told him.
"For?" he asked.
"Half-lying to my mother. About us," she replied.
"I made a promise," he stated.
Ashley nodded. "And…thank you for…for Sai. I am grateful that he's here…" she added. Andros looked at her.
"You had a part in his existence," he answered.
He tapped his cane on the ground. "A big part," he added. Ashley swallowed against the lump forming in her throat and she let out a deep breath.
"I've been a miserable…horrible woman to you," she answered, "I still don't understand why you're willing to give me this second chance. I'm a witch of a woman…you shouldn't want to be married to me anymore."
Andros let out a deep breath. "I've been competing with a dream, Ashley. Some days…I wonder if I still am," he replied. Ashley stepped closer to him, placing one hand over his heart.
"You were, at first. But our visit to Earth, that horrible mistake... it burst that dream. I'm ashamed of what I was willing to do there. All the words you said to me before you left, I deserved them and more that you left unspoken... But, honestly, on Earth Carlos was competing with a dream too and I tried to ignore that. That night before the war… I thought we were a dream so easily because it wasn't the first time you were in my dreams. And yes, I do mean those kind of dreams. If this is what love feels like… what Carlos and I had doesn't hold a light to it. I just hope I can someday be the wife you truly deserve."
"What did you just say?" Andros asked, hope shining in his eyes.
"I just hope I can someday be the wife..."
"No, before that," Andros cut her off.
Ashley wracked her brain for a moment, before realization drew and she looked shyly into his eyes. "If this is what love feels like?" Andros pulled her into his arms and kissed her passionately. Ashley kissed him back, her arms moving around his neck.
"I love you, with every molecule of my existence," he told her.
He saw the tears in her eyes but a huge smile was on her face. "I'm not too late?" she asked, her voice shaking.
"It was never too late," he replied.
"Good, because I love you too," Ashley pulled him down and kissed him this time.
Later that night, Ashley was standing in the room that she and Andros shared now. He had a last minute meeting with Hawthorne about Gratha. Her heart was beating a million miles a second.
She pulled her robe around herself when she heard the door open and Andros walked in. "Hey, I thought you would be asleep?" he asked.
"I couldn't sleep," she replied.
Andros sat down on the end of the bed. "So…I got this new outfit and I was wondering if I could get your opinion on it?" she asked.
"Sure," he replied, after removing his boots.
Ashley let out a deep breath, letting the robe drop to reveal the yellow bra and panty set underneath. She felt self-conscious, her stomach wasn't as tight as it used to be before giving birth. She still had a bit of the pregnancy weight still on her. But obviously he still wanted her, he'd been clear on that.
Andros stared at her, the room was silent. Ashley suddenly felt self-conscious and grabbed her robe. "Sorry, I'm sorry," she told him as she pulled her robe back on. Andros reached out, grasping her wrist and pulled her around.
"You're beautiful," he answered.
Andros rested his hands on her hips. "I can't believe how beautiful you really are," he told her, his voice huskier. He pressed his lips to her lips and Ashley rested her hands on his arms. He deepened their kiss ever so slightly, giving her an out if she wanted it. Ashley reached up and pushed his jacket off his shoulders. He moved his mouth away from hers. He pressed a kiss to her forehead, to her closed eyelids, her cheeks, and then moved lightly down her neck.
Ashley felt a jolt go through her body as his lips moved to the spot between her neck and shoulder. He pushed the robe back off her before he moved her towards the bed.
She felt chills go up and down her body as his hands caressed her.
Everything felt different this time. She knew what was coming, but she was still nervous and yet the knots in her stomach weren't all from nerves. His hands were trailing over her body in feather light touches, allowing time to get familiar with every little curve of her body. His lips strayed from her lips, working their way down slowly. She grabbed his shirt and started to pull it up but he stopped her, letting out a breath. Ashley kissed his neck gently, her hands moving down his back to the hem of his shirt, trying again, only to be stopped once more.
"Ashley," he sighed.
"You don't want to?" she swallowed, tears springing into her eyes. His silent rejection stung once again. But he had told her he wanted to many times before, so why would he suddenly pull back when she was finally willing to give this sex thing another shot?
"I do, gods know I do," he sighed again, placing a gentle kiss on her lips. "But, Ash... I've been to war... I was injured... I'm not..."
He trailed off and Ashley stared at him, suddenly hit by the realization he was just as nervous about how he looked as she was. She crushed her lips to his in a passionate kiss, when she pulled back, both were left breathless.
"We've both changed. Please, let me see you?"
After a long moment, Andros nodded, his eyes firmly closed. He didn't resist when she pulled on his shirt this time. She bit her lips to hold in a gasp, not wanting to give him the wrong impression.
She reached out and trailed the scars on his chest, feeling him shudder at her touch. Trailing lower, her hands rested on his belt buckle. Quick as lightning, his hands covered hers, his eyes snapping open.
"Ashley..."
"Your leg is injured; I'm guessing there's a scar there too."
He closed his eyes again and nodded. With a small smile he couldn't see, Ashley batted his hands away and continued her mission. Once she got his pants off, she sat back and looked at him, taking in every mark that was left on him.
Slowly she laid down next to him and placed a gentle kiss on his lips. "Still my handsome prince." Andros shuddered a little as she caressed his torso and moved her hands over him. The scar on his leg was the worse one, one that would forever remind her how hard he fought to come back to her, even when he thought there was no hope. She moved her hand to his leg, his leg jerked and he let out a sharp breath and he winced. The scars were some burns and a large gash that was right below his knee.
Ashley pressed her fingers to the scars on his chest, kissing them lightly. She kissed back up to his lips when he moved her over onto her back. Ashley kept her arms around his neck as he deepened the kiss, his hand dipped lower on her body. She gasped against his mouth when he moved his hand into her panties instead of pulling them down. She pulled back and looked up at him. "You're the most beautiful woman in the universe," he told her huskily. Ashley arched her hips when he slid a finger into her. She tilted her head back and let out a whimper.
Andros kissed along her jaw as he moved his finger in and out of her. Ashley let out a shaky breath, her hands moving up his back. Andros added another finger and she gasped, feeling her body jerk. "Andros!" she moaned. He started kissing her neck and her shoulder, feeling her nails dig into his back as she felt the pleasure mount up. She balled her hands into fists as she felt like a coil was tightening in her body and it suddenly released. Her body was shaking and she saw Andros grin at her before he placed a tender kiss on her lips. "What was that? And where the hell did you learn that?" she asked breathlessly.
Concern showed in his eyes. "Did you not like it?" he asked.
"No…I loved it. It was fantastic… It felt good… but…my mother had said only the man take the pleasure in these situations. And this certainly felt pleasurable," she replied.
Andros laughed a little. "I think you listen to your mother too much," he told her. Ashley stared up at him. "My parents explained enough about sexual intercourse, but most of it was left in the hands of my tutors because well…you don't want that kind of talk from your parents," he added. Ashley laughed a little and he stroked her cheek with her thumb. "Ashley, it's supposed to be good, for both of us," he insisted, "Never one-sided. Now can we agree to never mention this again in the bedroom? Thinking about my parents having sex isn't exactly a turn-on."
Ashley laughed again and smiled softly up at him. "Agreed and I love you," she murmured. Andros leaned forward, kissing her lightly again. She couldn't get enough of his kisses, his lips felt like a dream. The last of their clothing was removed as they surrendered completely to each other. He settled himself between her legs, and she moaned softly against his lips. He looked into her eyes as he moved forward and slid into her slowly, they were both still for a moment and then Ashley pulled him down for another kiss. Their touches were gentle and their pace slow, taking their sweet time. They were finally making love, real love for the first time.
They came together and their breathing was heavy as they held each other. They smiled at each other, and their foreheads were resting together. "That was incredible," she murmured.
"Not the chore your mom made it out to be?" Andros joked.
"If we can't talk about your parents in the bedroom, then we're definitely leaving mine outside these doors too," Ashley gave him a gentle nudge. "But no, it's not. I think I can get used to this."
"Night's still young," he replied smiling at her.
Ashley laughed softly, hugging him as he pulled the blankets over them.