Chapter 36: The Caves

Ashley was beat, she was trying to get the girls to settle down for the night. It had been a really long day at home, Andrea and Xenia were both in these moods where neither one of them wanted to listen. She was tired and irritated, she sat on the couch after getting the girls to bed.

It didn't help that Andros was working late at the lab so she felt like she was wrestling an army. She heard the door open and she couldn't help but sigh in relief when she heard her match enter the house. "Long day?" he asked, walking over to kiss her cheek.

"The longest," she replied.

"Well, my mom is on her way over," he told her as he walked towards the stairs.

Ashley looked over at him confused. "Why?" she asked.

"She's going to watch the girls," he replied, "We're going out."

She was surprised, standing up. "Really?" she asked.

"Yeah, I have reservations made," he replied.

Ashley stood up with a smile and she followed him upstairs to get ready.

Ashley started going through her closet as Andros changed into a pair of pants and a gray tunic. Ashley grabbed a vest out of his closet, tossing it to him. "That'll look nice," she told him. He couldn't help but smirk as he pulled the vest on.

Ashley was actually grateful to not be wearing her lounge clothes, tossing them into the hamper. She had just bought a skirt from Earth that she wanted to try, pulling it on and then her favorite baby blue tunic.

Andros walked up behind his soul, his arms moving around her waist as she leaned back against his chest. Andros kissed her neck, as she closed her eyes. "I love you," he murmured. She smiled as she moved her hand over his arm.

"I love you," she replied.

When Hecuba arrived, Andros took his match by the hand and they left after saying 'goodnight'.

They were walking through the city, watching as couples were enjoying the nights. Andros moved his arm around her waist and Ashley sighed contently, leaning into him. "You were right," she commented.

"About?" he asked.

"These girls are definitely enough," she replied.

Her statement made him chuckle softly. "Why is that?" he asked.

"Our daughters have enough energy for six boys," she replied.

Now he was laughing, wrapping his arms around her. "I love you," he told her chuckling.

"As you keep saying," she answered, hugging him around the waist, "And I love you too."

Andros stepped back before he took her hand and spun her around in a circle. Ashley laughed before he pulled her back into his arms, kissing her. Ashley kissed him back, wrapping her arms around his neck.

Releasing each other, they continued along the street and Ashley held onto his hand. Andros smiled as he watched her; she truly was the most beautiful person in the universe.

Ashley smiled as her match watched her out of the corner of his eye. "What?" she asked.

"Just admiring you," he replied.

"Oh yeah?" she asked.

"Remembering," he replied.

Ashley smiled as he spun her around in another circle. "And what are you remembering?" she asked.

"Our first year bound together," he replied.

There were many memories that he could be talking about. "Is there one in particular?" she asked.

"When you seduced me in the middle of that party," he quipped.

"Excuse me? I seduced you?" she answered acting offended.

"Yep," he told her simply.

They were laughing at the memory. "Are we talking about your parents' anniversary party?" she asked.

"Possibly," he replied.

Releasing his hand, his match started walking backwards with her hands clasped behind her back. "When we snuck into the family library?" she asked.

"Was there any other time?" he answered.

Playfully she fanned her face. "I'm still surprised we didn't get caught," she commented. They laughed together, but then Ashley pushed her hair over her shoulders. "We were adventurous before we had kids," She added.

"It's hard to be adventurous in the house when any minute they could walk in," he replied.

"True," she agreed with a sigh.

With that they continued making their way through the city.

They went into the park and Ashley looked towards the woods where the binding caves were. Andros saw the dazed expression in her eyes and leaned into her. "You're far away, where are you?" he said softly.

"It doesn't feel like six years have gone by," she replied.

"No," he agreed.

Ashley went towards the caves. "What are you doing?" he asked.

"Haven't you ever been curious of what the caves look like without anyone in them? No ceremonies being performed?" she asked.

Andros went to object, but he had to admit, he never really thought about it. The idea was intriguing, the last time they had seen the inside the caves was when they had witnessed Zhane and Karone's binding.

Ashley continued down the hill towards the woods and Andros went with her.

Entering the caves, Ashley looked around. The torches were still lit as they always were, giving the caves quite a comforting glow. Her fingers reached up, touching the carvings on the wall beside her. Each word etched in the lost Karovan dialect that had long been forgotten with years of learning the Terran language.

Andros stood behind his match, watching her look around. She had never looked more beautiful than she did at that moment. Her eyes shining with mirth and just the smallest smile that tugged at the corners of her mouth. "The years that soul mates came to these caves, exchanging their vows during times when matchmaking was law," she commented softly.

She stopped, then looked at him. "Could you imagine?" she asked.

"What?" he asked.

"Never being together?" she asked, "If we were matched with others."

"Never," he replied.

They were silent as he stared at the carvings on the walls. "Even if matchmaking was law, I would have bound myself to you even then," he stated, looking back at her. He moved his way over to her. "I love you, and no matter what lifetime we lived in, I would always love you," he replied.

For some reason she couldn't explain, his words made tears well up in her eyes. She walked over and kissed him deeply. Andros kissed her back, holding her in his arms. Smiling against his lips, she pulled back and she moved down into the middle of the floor. She didn't have to ask, he moved on top of her and kissed her this time. Kissing each other deeply and lovingly, Ashley moved back onto the ground and pulled him down on top of her.