Chapter 57: Bring me Back to Life
The Rangers jumped off their Galaxy Gliders, seeing they were on a planet that looked like it was only just a single cliff with an ocean below. "Justin said her signal's here," Carlos said.
"Maybe it's a trick?" Cassie suggested.
"Why would we do that?" A voice cackled from behind.
They turned to see Psychos Red, Black, Blue, and Yellow there. In Psycho Yellow's arms was a seemingly lifeless Ashley. "Looking for this?" she asked.
"Give her back!" Carlos demanded.
"Or you'll what?" Psycho Yellow asked, "One twist with my hand and I can snap her neck."
Psycho Yellow looked at the young woman. "Not that she has much life anyways," she said laughing.
"If you want her, come and get her," Psycho Black answered.
The Psychos attacked first and the Rangers went straight for them. The whole while, Psycho Yellow had a hold of Ashley, just completely amused by what was happening in front of her. "Well, I do have one question," she commented as she dragged Ashley's limp body towards the edge of the cliff. She started laughing. Cassie turned and her eyes were wide in horror at what she was seeing.
"No!" Cassie called out.
"I wonder if Rangers can swim!" Psycho Yellow said laughing.
Cassie went to go after her when Psycho Red grabbed her by her throat and threw her to the ground. Zhane grabbed Psycho Red from behind and he took Zhane's arm, flinging him over his head.
Psycho Yellow took Ashley's limp body and threw her over the edge. "ASHLEY!" Carlos shouted. Suddenly, a blast threw Psycho Yellow off her feet with a shout. Andros ran past everyone and he threw himself after her.
"ANDROS, NO!" Zhane shouted stunned as he ran towards the edge, but Psycho Red grabbed him again, throwing him to the ground.
Andros dove into the ocean below, immediately he had demorphed back into his flight suit but it didn't stop him from searching the water.
In the void, eight-year-old Ashley was walking around with fear showing on her young face. "Andros?" she called out, "Daddy?" A bright light suddenly filled the entire room and she looked around. She looked at herself and she saw that she was back at her seventeen-year-old self and she looked around.
"Ashley," a voice called out.
Turning around, Ashley felt relief when she saw a familiar face standing in the brightest section of the room. "Daddy…" she said smiling. Samuel was smiling gently at her as she walked towards him.
"Hold on tight, Starshine," Samuel said as she stopped right in front of him.
Before Ashley could ask what he was talking about, she suddenly felt a force grab her around her waist and she was going up. She suddenly felt like air was blown right into her lungs.
Andros had a hold of Ashley's waist, he pulled her up so she was right in front of him and he breathed air right into her lungs. He kicked the surface, gasping for air once he broke through and he held Ashley to his chest. He let out a cough from some of the salt water sneaking into his mouth to his throat from when he breathed in. Ashley nearly slipped out of his grip from the current, but he held onto her as tight as he could and swam back towards the shoreline.
Reaching the shore, Andros laid Ashley flat on her back. "Come on, baby," he said as he was leaning over her, checking her breathing. When she wasn't, he started mouth to mouth. He could feel her fading. "No, come on, Ashley," he begged, "Don't leave me!" He gave her another breath of air and then he heard the gurgling sounds from her chest. Immediately, he turned her onto her side.
Ashley's eyes shot open and she threw up the water that was bubbling in her throat. She felt a hand on her back and she knew it immediately. Andros pulled his jacket off, even though it was just as soaking wet as her clothes were and wrapped it around her. Ashley was shaking and shuddering as he held onto her.
Ashley felt even just a little more warmth from his jacket around her bare shoulders and his arms tightly around her. "I love you," she rasped out as he kissed the top of her head. Andros held her even closer, his teeth chattering from the cold.
"I've got you, baby," he answered.
Andros looked up as the others ran to them. "Get us the hell out of here!" Andros told him through chattering teeth.
"DECA, get us back to the Megaship," TJ said into his communicator.
The six of them disappeared in their respective lights.
Andros held Ashley in a carrying position in his arms, carrying her down the steps from the jump tubes. "Andros…" Zhane started to say.
"I've got her," Andros answered, walking by him.
Andros carried her to the infirmary, setting her down and Cassie covered her with as many blankets as possible. Zhane grabbed his friend just as his legs gave out. "Yep, saw that coming," he commented. TJ grabbed a chair and Zhane set him down and they also piled blankets on him.
"How is he?" Andros asked, looking at his father.
Alec was sitting up on the other infirmary bed. "I'm alright, son," Alec assured him.
"What happened? Andros was barely hanging on," Carlos answered.
"I gave him and Ashley some of my own life force," Alec explained.
"We need to get them out of these clothes," Cassie stated.
"Why is it we seem to be making sure you two don't die from hyperthermia?" TJ asked.
"If the enemy would stop throwing us in water that'd be the best idea," Andros replied, still shaking.
Cassie started pulling Ashley's clothes off as Andros got his own, hiding under the blankets. "Here, Andros," Alec told him as they got the infirmary beds together and Andros was next to her. Immediately, Andros's arms went around Ashley and pulled her close. Ashley had her head on his shoulder as her arms went around him. Andros kissed her head several times and Alec saw the unshed tears in his eyes. "You've got her back, son," Alec assured him.
Andros closed his eyes tight and a few tears escaped down his face. "We'll give you time, son," Alec assured him, gesturing the others to leave. Once they were gone, Andros held her tighter.
"I felt you go," he whispered to her, his voice shaking.
The tears started to fall more. "I felt you go, Ashley," he said. Ashley held onto him as her tears fell from her face and onto his chest.
"Just hold me," she replied as he pulled her even tighter.
Andros kissed her shoulder and she shuddered as they held each other.
On the bridge, Carlos leaned against the console with his arms crossed. "How did he get down to us so quickly? He was barely alive when we left," he commented.
"I gave Andros and Ashley some of my life force," Alec replied as he sunk into the nearest chair.
TJ stared in disbelief. "You did that?" Cassie asked, staring with wide eyes.
"You do whatever it takes for your children," Alec replied, "I lost one child to the enemy and death took the other. I will be damned if I had to bury another child."
The team was silent at his confession. "You had another child…" Carlos trailed off. Alec looked over at him.
"I did," he answered, "I became a father of 3 to a father of one in the matter of just a few years. I lost my wife, I lost my daughters, and I was not about to lose my son. If it meant extending my own life force through his and Ashley's bond so I didn't LOSE that child, then that is the price I am always willing to pay."
Carlos looked ashamed as he stared at the floor. "Never once mistake my silence for not caring," Alec said firmly. Alec stood up slowly and Zhane went to help him when Alec waved him away. Walking over to him, Alec stood in front Carlos. "You will never understand the pain I have suffered for the last eleven years and I pray to my gods you never have to," he said, his voice low so only Carlos could hear him. Carlos was silent still. "That is MY son and in extension Ashley is now MY daughter," Alec told him, "Don't you EVER question my integrity as a human being and as a FATHER ever again." Carlos looked at him with shame in his face. "Karovans are humans, we are linked to our abilities but we're not wizards for you to do your bidding," Alec said angrily.
"Admiral…" TJ started to say but Alec turned towards him.
"Young man, I can see why you are my son's second in command when Zhane is with us rebels. You have honor and strong leadership abilities," Alec explained, "You remind me of myself when I was a Ranger."
Cassie reached over and held TJ's hand with a slight smile on her face. "You all have more than just Earth to protect," He explained to them, "Andros made a mistake, he and Ashley both made a deadly mistake and they let their guards down." Alec turned to Carlos. "And your temper is going to be your undoing if you keep going," he added.
"When it comes to Ashley…" Carlos started to say.
"Ashley means a lot to everyone on this ship, Carlos. Screaming at Alec over his choices wasn't right," Justin answered, "You can't keep thinking you're her only friend here."
Zhane patted the boy's shoulder and nodded. "And it wasn't just Ashley we were losing and I felt you were punishing Alec for worrying over his son," Zhane put in.
"Someone had to worry about Andros, we were all wrapped up on trying to find Ashley," Cassie added.
Carlos shifted nervously. "A lot of mistakes were made the last two days," Alec informed the group as he sat down again. He let out a deep breath. "The question is now; will you learn from it?" he asked. He looked at Zhane. "These Psycho Rangers are more dangerous than you realized," he stated, "Almost the perfect enemy."
"And how do we defeat an enemy that's nearly perfect?" TJ asked.
"You trust no one outside of this group and those you already know," Alec explained, "You're a team, you work together. The Psychos work on doing something alone, Ashley was and now they know your faces."
Zhane nodded at what he was saying. "You have to be one step ahead of these Psychos. They are smart, they are strong, but there's one thing you have that they don't," Alec explained.
"And what is that?" Justin asked.
"They have each other," Alec replied, "The Psychos are against each other not with each other, that will be their downfall. Play on that."
The team nodded in agreement and the room fell silent.
Later, Andros finally felt strong enough to the point he got himself off the medical bed and back into his clothes. He turned to Ashley to see her asleep. He reached over and his fingers moved through her hair. Leaning forward, Andros kissed her temple and she sighed in her sleep. Andros looked up and he saw his father standing there. "Dad…" he started to say. Alec walked over without a word and he hugged his son as tight as he could. Andros was stunned, but he hugged his father back. Alec let out a deep breath as he hugged him even tighter.
Alec kissed the top of his son's head, not wanting to let him go. He was no longer a 19-year-old young man in his eyes, he was the little boy who used to wait anxiously for him to come home. The idea that he almost lost him just almost made this once war-hardened man crumble. "What did you do, Dad?" Andros asked, pulling back. Andros looked at his father's face and he saw the extra wrinkles around his eyes and white hairs moving through his dark streaks. "No…" Andros started to say.
"I did what I had to do," Alec answered.
"But giving me your life force…" Andros started to say.
"I still have quite a few good years left in me, son," Alec assured him.
Andros suddenly felt the lump in his throat. Alec saw his eyes shine. "Son, this was my choice," Alec insisted.
"We already lost mom…Karone…Amethyst…I can't…" Andros trailed off.
Alec shook his head slowly as he gripped his shoulders. "Look at me," he said firmly. Andros slowly lifted his head, looking at him. "I'm not going anywhere," he assured him, "I just shaved a few years off." Andros let out a deep breath. "You have your soul back, Andros," Alec told him, "That's what matters. You're alive and so is she." Andros nodded, understanding what his father was saying and Alec kissed the top of his head.
Andros walked over to Ashley's side of the medical bed and he laid back down in front of her. Alec smiled and left the room.
Ashley opened her eyes and saw Andros staring at her. She moved in closer to him and he moved his arms around her again as she closed her eyes. "I love you," he whispered.
"I love you," she answered as he rested his forehead against hers.
They held onto each other just like that.
