Chapter 28: The Victory
The Rangers were in their mess area, in the middle of the room was a large board that had the Psycho Rangers' pictures on it. TJ crossed off the rest of the Psycho Rangers, having finally defeat them. "That's the last of the Psycho Rangers," he said relieved.
"And I won't miss them in a bit," Ashley agreed.
Andros pressed a kiss to the side of Ashley's head. "This is a victory that's for sure," he answered, his arm moving around her back. Ashley leaned into him with a smile.
"I'll reconfigure the computer to search for Zordon," TJ stated.
"I think we deserve a little break," Cassie commented.
"How about we go to the Rebels?" Andros suggested.
Ashley gasped excitedly. "Yes, I need to see my baby," she agreed.
"I'll go put the coordinates in," Carlos said smiling.
Ashley gave him a smile when Andros grabbed an apple off the table. "I'm going to go get some sleep," he added. Ashely gave his hand a squeeze.
"I'll wake you up in a bit okay?" she asked.
Andros nodded before she pressed a kiss to his lips. "Love you," she added.
"Love you," he answered, walking away.
Ashley sat down with her sandwich as Cassie sat across from her. "I think you two are stronger than ever from this," she commented. Ashley took a bite of her sandwich.
"Well you can't really doubt each other during a time like this," Ashley answered.
"True enough," Cassie agreed.
"Besides, I think you and TJ have grown as a couple," she commented.
"Yeah," she answered.
She smiled a little, pushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "I'm happy for you, Cass, TJ's a good guy," Ashley stated happily.
"Thanks," Cassie answered.
Ashley smiled at her. "I have a question though," Cassie commented.
"Yeah?" Ashley asked.
"Can you show me those birth control shots you take?" Cassie asked.
The Yellow Ranger looked surprised. "I mean…TJ and I aren't there yet, but just in case you know?" she asked.
"Right, sure," Ashley agreed.
They got up and went over to the infirmary.
Ashley reached into the medical cabinet, removing the injections. "How many of those do you take?" she asked. Ashley shrugged.
"Once every six weeks," she replied, "Makes it easier really. Unlike the Terran birth control where it's the pills or those weird rubber things."
Cassie couldn't help but laugh into her hand. "A condom, Ashley," she answered.
"Yeah those," Ashley agreed.
"You and Andros looked at Terran birth control?" Cassie asked.
"I did, and I honestly don't get it," Ashley replied.
Cassie just smirked. "What? It's true," she insisted, "I'll stick with the injections."
"Do you remember when you're due for your next one?" Cassie asked.
"Yeah, tomorrow," Ashley replied, "I'm always due during one of my highest ovulation times which is two days from now."
"You can keep track with all that's happened?" Cassie asked.
Ashley shrugged. "It becomes habit really," she replied. She had an injection ready. "Now, for it to really work, you want to actually inject it in the actual uterine area. That's the best way to do it," she explained.
"Fun," Cassie replied.
Ashley left the room to give Cassie privacy.
Ashley walked back to the mess area to find her brother holding and ice pack to his head. "What did you do?" she asked.
"I played a prank on Andros," he replied.
"Yeah, you need to not do that," she quipped, patting his shoulder.
Zhane rolled his eyes but then took a drink from his cup as Ashley left to run a few tests before she had to get Andros from his nap.
A couple of hours later, Ashley entered hers and Andros's quarters to find her love fast asleep in their bed. Walking over, she pushed the hair from his face before leaning forward and pressed her lips to his.
Andros woke up to Ashley kissing him. Smiling, he pulled back and grabbed her arms, pulling her into the bed. Ashley laughed, smiling up at him as they stared at each other. "I love you," he murmured.
"I love you too," she answered.
Andros moved over her and kissed her deeply. Ashley kissed him back, pulling him down on top of her.
Later on, they were laying in their bunk. Andros had his arms around Ashley and she was laying back against him, her fingers trailing over his arm. "You're deep in thought, my heart," he murmured, kissing her temple.
"Hmm…just thinking…once we find Zordon…this could all be over," she replied.
Andros pressed a kiss to her shoulder. "I can't tell if you're relieved or not at the idea," he murmured. She shrugged her shoulders. She rolled over to look at him.
"It's not really relief…I mean…we trained for this our whole lives, but yet…I like the idea of going home and being a family," she replied.
Andros rubbed her back. "Yeah…it's a nice dream," he agreed, resting his cheek on the top of her head, "Being parents…having one more kid." Ashley smiled as she traced designs into his chest.
"Watching them grow up, go to school," she murmured.
Ashley moved closer if it were possible. "Us growing together as a couple…growing old together eventually, that's my dream. The two of us old in our home, our kids and grandkids coming to visit us," she said softly.
"It's a nice dream," he answered.
Ashley smiled as she rested her forehead against his jaw with a sigh. He smiled a little bit at her dream, growing old together. There was a concept he thought was gone forever. Ashley kissed his neck and Andros moved so she was underneath him again.
Another week later, the Rangers were all sick to their stomachs after the Synthetron went out of commission and DECA had failed to tell them. Ashley was leaning over to toilet, losing whatever was left in her stomach. Andros was behind her, holding her hair out of her face. "I wanna die," she muttered. Andros kissed the back of her shoulder.
"I think we all wanna die," he replied as his stomach rolled.
Ashley gagged and Andros rubbed her back as he sat down on the floor. She leaned back against his chest and let out a breath. "I just want to lay here," she muttered.
"I can agree to that," he replied, closing his eyes.
Ashley closed her eyes as they dozed on the fresher floor, not wanting to get up and they just hoped that Astronema wouldn't choose that day to attack.
Ashley woke up to her match coughing and gagging. Moving her way over, she rubbed his back and held his hair back from his face. "Dammit," he grunted.
"I know," She answered, rubbing his shoulder.
"I'm going to dismantle DECA," he muttered.
"Well we still need her for other things," she replied.
Andros spit before the toilet flushed. "Hey, at least I can finally repay you for holding my hair back when I was going through morning sickness with Andrea," she pointed out.
"Well I don't think we should add to our brood if this is what you go through," he replied.
Ashley kissed his cheek and gave him a small smile as they leaned into each other. "Don't we make a pair," she said laughing a little.
"Can I dismantle DECA yet?" he asked.
"No," she replied.
Andros sighed and Ashley smiled, resting her head on his shoulder as they just laid on the fresher floor, trying to heal from whatever illness they had.
