Chapter 6: Into the Woods
Thursday 3 pm
Ashley paced around the small basement desperately searching for anything she could use to her advantage. She had to stop Shelley from getting to Jeff. Glancing up at the window she noticed there were bars on the inside. 'Maybe one of those bars is loose.' She thought hopefully, after all the house was pretty old. She pushed an old wooden chair under the window with her hands still bound. She put her left leg up first, grimacing as all her weight rested on her injured limb and pulled herself up to a standing position. Catching her breath, she lifted her hands to start pulling at the bars. After ten minutes of extreme exertion her hard work was rewarded when the bar finally came loose, along with a ton of dust! Prying it away from the window, she let it drop unto the floor and lightly jumped off the chair. Ashley returned the chair to its usual position by the sink and hid the bar under her blanket. She sat against the wall to regain her composure and to come up with a plan.
Before Jeff could even park the car, Mr. Hammond had jumped out and was on his way inside of the police station. Before he could take a step though, TJ, Captain Harris, and a few other officers came pouring out of the station. Jeff noticed this and left his car out on the street.
"What is it?" Mr. Hammond demanded of TJ. TJ stopped a minute to give them a full report. "We have reason to believe Ashley is at Hangman's Island. We're on our way now. We'll call you as soon as we know anything." The young officer informed the distraught family. He immediately hopped into his squad car and sped away, looking to make the three-hour trip a lot faster. Jeff and Mr. Hammond watched as the squad cars pulled away, lights flashing and sirens blaring.
"I hope they find her." Mr. Hammond finally spoke desolately. The emotional toll his daughter's disappearance had on him was finally coming to light as the tears began to fall. Jeff comforted his father and escorted him back to the car.
"Come on dad. I'm sure if they think she's there that they will find her. She'll be back with us in no time." Jeff spoke optimistically. The whole time Ashley had been missing, it never once occurred to him that she would never come back. He couldn't allow himself to think that way.
"I don't want to go home. It just seems so empty without Ashley." Mr. Hammond admitted to his son as the two pulled away from the police station.
"I have an idea." Jeff declared as he made his way to the dojo. He pulled into the parking lot just as a bunch of kids and their parents left the building. The two men walked into an empty dojo, as there was a break between classes until after school.
Adam looked up to see Jeff and his dad coming unto the floor. He quickly alerted Jason and Tommy to their arrival. "What's going on Jeff?" He asked the harried looking young man.
"TJ and the police just took off for Hangman's Island. They think that's where Ashley is." He reported, desperately hoping they would find his sister.
"Is there anything we can do?" Tommy questioned Jeff. "TJ said they'd call us as soon as they knew anything." Jeff replied wearily.
"They just left so they'll be there in about 3 hours or less." Jason decided. He guided the group to the break room and directed Tommy to order some food. He himself went to his office to make some phone calls.
Jason sat down at his desk and pulled out the afternoon rosters of their classes. Starting at the top he sent into motion a phone tree informing all the kids that afternoon classes had been cancelled. That task completed, Jason started a new chain of phone calls beginning with Trini.
"So you'll let everyone know they can come and wait at the dojo?" Jason confirmed with the Asian girl and original yellow ranger.
"Sure Jase. Billy and I will let everyone know, and we'll be there as soon as possible." Trini said before hanging up with Jason.
The red dressed young man rejoined the others in the break room. "I cancelled classes this afternoon." He announced to the group. "Everyone else will be gathering down here shortly." Jason finished up.
"Thanks Jason." Jeff said with gratitude. "I, We appreciate everything you've done for us to help Ashley." He said with tears in his eyes.
"Ashley is like family to us. We're more than happy to help out." Tommy declared truthfully. 'Besides, no one hurts a ranger and gets away with it.' He thought angrily.
"How are you holding up?" Adam asked compassionately. Jeff was about to reply, but his father jumped in before he could say a word.
"It's the worst feeling in the world. I feel so helpless. I feel like its all my fault, I regret that it happened fourteen years ago, but now it never should have happened again. I should have believed her." Mr. Hammond cried out in frustration.
"There is so many what if's but now we've got to focus on her return." Jeff said in response to his father's emotional protest.
"I'm here without you baby but your still on my lonely mind I think about you baby and I dream about you all the time I'm here without you baby but your still with me in my dreams And tonight it's only you and me"
Three doors down played on his radio as Andros hid out in his apartment. He didn't want to see the others, only wanted to live in his own guilt until Ashley came home. He didn't think he could make it till then. 'What have I done?' his mind cried out in anguish. He didn't want to dwell on what Ashley was going through, it would only drive him crazy. The only thing he knew was that he never wanted to be separated from her again. The phone rang as the cd played on. "Hello?" Andros questioned the caller.
"Hey Andros, it's Carlos. I just got word from Rocky that TJ is out at Hangman's Island, they got a lead that Ashley is there. We're all waiting down at the dojo." Carlos informed him hopefully.
"What if she's not there?" Andros asked fearing the worst. "You can't think like that Andros!" yelled Carlos. "TJ will find her and bring her back." Click. He hung up on the red ranger.
Andros just stared at the phone. 'Ashley's a fighter, and I trust TJ with my own life.' He reminded himself. Forcing himself off his couch, he left the house and jumped in his jeep and headed towards the dojo. 'She's going to be fine.' He repeated to himself as he began the excruciating task of waiting.
Thursday 5 pm
"Hold on if you feel like letting go
Hold on it gets better than you know"
The Good Charlotte song ran through Ashley's mind and dispelled any doubts that she had of surviving. All her experiences as a ranger prepared her somewhat for this ordeal. She played out her plan in her mind and began to prepare mentally for the task ahead. Thoughts of Andros, her family and friends pushed Ashley to be more determined in her will to escape. Memories of long ago resurfaced in her mind as she was filled with anger as she remembered the fireworks incident. Shelley had left Jeff and Ashley alone with two teenagers and Ashley had ended up in the hospital with burns from the fireworks.
'How dare that woman do that to me then, and now! If she wants to get Jeff she has to go through me! If Astronema couldn't kill me, I'll be damned if this crazy lady will!' She knew that Shelley would be down soon with her dinner, she only prayed it would be dark enough by then to go through with her plan.
Quiet music filled the background of the solemn dojo as many of the old rangers waited with the Hammonds and the astro team for any word on Ashley. Andros arrived and was surprised by all the support. With sudden clarity, he realized he shouldn't have been. Everyone who knew Ashley loved her, and he knew that the rangers were family. Whenever one of them was hurting they were all hurting. And for one of the rare times in his life the usually withdrawn Kerovian was glad for the support. He saw Carlos talking to Cassie and made his way over to the former black astro ranger to apologize.
"Carlos, about earlier."Andros started to apologize but Carlos stopped him. "Never mind Andros, I know you're upset, we all are. But we got to think she's coming back." He gently reproved his friend. Andros nodded in agreement and the two shook hands in friendship.
Zhane watched his best friend pace the dojo back and forth frantically. He went over to calm him down. "Man Andros, you're going to wear a hole right through the floor." He joked.
"Yeah well, I hate waiting." Andros muttered as he finally did stop pacing. "I only hope she'll forgive me." He confessed softly, so softly Zhane had to strain to hear him. Noticing the serious look on Andros's face, the former silver ranger led him out to another room.
"Some times bad things happen to make you stronger. I mean, you never would have met Ashley if KO-35 hadn't been attacked. And that seemed to work out okay." Zhane declared with a wisdom Andros didn't know he possessed.
"I'm going to marry her." Andros declared suddenly shocking Zhane. Talk about changing subjects. "IF she allows me to." He quickly added. Before Zhane could respond, someone else jumped in.
"If you ask her I'm sure she'll say yes." Jeff spoke up from behind the duo. Andros looked at her brother stunned. "How do you know that Jeff?"
"I know my sister. She always talks about you and how she wants to settle down." Jeff confided in the former red ranger. "Besides, I harassed her enough, I wanted her to be sure. I'll admit I had my doubts, but she never doubted you Andros. Never." He admitted honestly.
"I promise I won't do anything that would make you or your dad doubt me. And I promise to take care of her forever." Andros vowed emphatically.
"I know you will Andros. And I'm glad I was wrong about you." Jeff commented with a smile. He reached out to shake his hand. Jeff was about to return to the group when Andros asked him a question.
"Do you think she'll forgive me?" Andros inquired softly. "She already has Andros." Jeff replied and then left leaving the two Kerovians to ponder his statement.
TJ sat silently looking out the window of the squad car as the unit raced towards Hangman's Island. 'What if we're not there in time? I'll never forgive myself.' Lt. Gibson glanced at his unusually somber and quiet partner. "We'll get there in time Teej." He tried to reassure the younger man. TJ's head snapped up. "Don't tell me we have time!" His voice echoed through the car. He calmed down and continued, "I just have a feeling that time is of the essence." He spoke tensely, clenching his fists in order to control his anxiety. A spark of determination rushed through him. 'I never let one of my teammates down, and I'm not going to start now.' He offered a silent prayer for protection for Ashley.
Little did he know that as he spoke Ashley was about to make her way out of the house and disappear into the woods.
Thursday, 6pm
Ashley watched as the shadows of the fading daylight slowly turned into darkness. Finally her chance to put her plan into action. She heard the door slowly creak open, alerting her to her captor's appearance. Ashley pushed herself off the floor and grabbed the bar from under the blanket. Silently she went to the bottom of the stairs and waited.
Footsteps tell her the moment to attack is near. Shelley descends the stairs unaware that anything is amiss. Holding the dinner tray she is defenseless, even if she could see Ashley. She took a step beyond where Ashley was hiding. She called out to her, "Dinner." in her saccharine sweet voice.
Holding her breath, Ashley swung the bar with all her might connecting with the back of Shelley's head. The blow knocked the woman down; the dinner tray spilled all over the floor. Shelley lay motionless and Ashley didn't hesitate to escape. She limped up the stairs and made her way out of the house, not stopping to close the front door. Not taking any chances she didn't stop moving, disappearing further into the woods and away from Shelley.
Finally when she couldn't breathe anymore she leaned against a tree for support. Her legs weak from lack of use refused to bear her weight anymore. She collapsed on the ground as her vision blurred. Her head throbbed painfully as she closed her eyes wishing the pain away. She prayed that Shelley wouldn't wake up and that someone would find her.
As darkness fully descended the temperature dropped. Ashley's torn yellow sweater offered her little protection from the cold. She shivered as the seconds turned to minutes, and the minutes felt like hours. 'Will anyone find me?' she thought worriedly as her injuries reduced her to tears.
She didn't know that at that very moment TJ and the police had pulled up at the lake house.
"What the hell?" TJ practically shouted as they pulled up in front of the lake house. The others were right on his heels as he raced up the stairs. The front door was wide open and the house strangely silent. He glanced back to check that the brown Honda was still in the driveway. Something was wrong. TJ's heart began to pound as fear crept into his thoughts. Captain Harris pushed past TJ to lead the charge into the house. The policemen crept around the corners looking for Shelley.
"Down here!" Officer Kaplan shouted as he paused in front of the open basement door. Captain Harris nodded and they descended down the stairs. Shining his flashlight, TJ was horrified when he saw a body lying on the ground. He forced himself to breath as he checked the identity of the victim. He felt for a pulse and was relieved that whoever it was, was still alive. Turning her over carefully, he sighed in relief to discover it was not Ashley. 'So where is she?' he thought worried.
"Who is it Johnson?" Captain Harris demanded as the rest of the team searched the basement for clues. "Ms. Martinson." He replied quickly.
"Where's the victim?" Officer Jones asked curiously. "She must have escaped." TJ rationalized. He quickly sped up the stairs and headed outside to look for Ashley. He headed into the woods shouting her name. His partner and two others were right behind him, as Captain Harris called in an ambulance to take Shelley away.
TJ's relief was short lived when he took a look at the woods. It was dark and Ashley could be anywhere. Plus she must be injured. He shuddered to think about the pain she had to endure. Ashley would not have gone down without a fight. However, she must have escaped not too long before since Shelley was still out cold. That thought gave him hope. Energy renewed, he strode determined into the woods to search for his missing friend.
"ASHLEY!" TJ hollered hoping for some sort of response. The branches stirring in the wind was the only sound. He called again his voice echoing through the endless forest. The lack of response urged him to go further, Ashley needed him, he was sure of it.
Ashley felt her eyes closing as she huddled in a ball to keep herself warm. 'What was that Andros always told me?' She wondered, trying to recall his advice. She didn't instantly remember but memories of her boyfriend and being in his arms warmed her up a bit. Suddenly she remembered. 'He always said if you were cold not to fall asleep. You could freeze to death.' She realized she didn't want to die, and even though her and Andros had broken up, Ashley believed it wasn't permanent. The only good thing to come from her ordeal was that it reaffirmed her love for Andros. He was her reason to live. He made her feel alive. Determinedly, she forced her eyes wide open and tried to focus on moving. She sat up despite the pain in her left side.
Her knee was badly swollen from her falling down the stairs, which she didn't remember. Being hit on the head with a brick had given her a concussion, so her memories were sort of fuzzy from the past week. Her legs were covered with scratches, results of being dragged through the woods after Shelley had knocked her out. Ashley's wrists were raw where the rope had burned through the skin. 'I've got to keep going.' She said to motivate herself. Strong willed, Ashley pressed herself on in spite of the pain. The darkness did nothing to help her blurry vision.
"ASHLEY!" TJ's deep voice called out tirelessly. "She couldn't have gone too far." Lt. Gibson assured him. TJ just kept calling out for her.
Ashley tripped over a log and landed awkwardly on her wounded left arm. She didn't waste time crying or complaining, she simply forced herself to keep going. She would have time to cry later, but now she had to find a way out. A few feet away she paused to catch her breath, when she thought she heard a voice. She forced herself to calm down, how could she hear anything when her heart was pounding so?
She heard the voice again, more clearly this time. "ASHLEY!" They said her name. The voice was so familiar. 'TJ!' Her mind suddenly recognized. Ashley yelled back, "TJ!" as loud as she could despite its soreness caused by dehydration.
TJ stopped; he thought he had heard someone. He hoped that it wasn't his imagination. Hopefully he called out again. "ASHLEY!" And there was an instant reply. "TJ!"
Grinning from ear to ear he started running in the direction of her voice. "ASHLEY, keep talking so I can find you!" He instructed her as the other officers followed him.
"I'm over here Teej! Please hurry!" She shouted as she finally allowed herself to relax. She was safe. TJ was so close. The tired girl thought to herself. 'I'm going home.'
"Ashley!" TJ greeted the girl joyfully as he saw her across the way. He ran to her side and gathered her tenderly in his embrace. "I'm so glad you're ok." He whispered.
"I knew you would find me TJ." Ashley acknowledged gratefully. TJ quickly cut off the rope and freed her arms.
"Well let's get you out of here." TJ declared. He picked up his walkie- talkie. "Johnson to Hector 77. We got her. Send down the helicopter." He announced with excitement.
The whirring of the helicopter signaled its arrival as it landed in a clearing a few hundred feet away. Ashley started to walk away, and TJ noticed the lack of mobility of her left side. Quickly he scooped the girl into his arms and hurried to where the paramedics were waiting. As he ran he noticed she had lost weight. Solemnly he realized her physical ordeal was over, but the emotional one had just begun.
The paramedics loaded her onto a stretcher and put an IV into her arm to provide her with nutrients and water for her malnourished and dehydrated body. They placed some probes on her heart to monitor its rate and had oxygen on hand in case she needed it. Captain Harris shut the door and the helicopter began its ascent into the sky and back towards Angel Grove.
The pilot called ahead to the hospital to alert them to the helicopter landing with an injured patient. The Paramedics worked to make Ashley as comfortable as possible, covering her with blankets to keep her warm. In the light of the helicopter, TJ could make out the bruises that covered most of Ashley's body. He was horrified to discover the evidence of the physical abuse she was forced to endure.
"I was so scared when I got to the house and the front door was open. It was so quiet, it really frightened me. And then when we found a body downstairs, I was so relieved when we discovered it wasn't you." TJ admitted to her, tears forming in his dark brown eyes. Ashley had tears in her eyes too, and couldn't find the words to say. In a simple gesture, she placed her hand on his to comfort him. They both sat still for a few moments, allowing some of the shock to wear off.
Reluctantly TJ took the opportunity to probe Ashley for answers. He knew once they got to the hospital, she would be ambushed by a myriad of doctors, not to mention friends and family that were anxious to see her.
"Ash, can you tell me about the day you disappeared?" TJ confronted her gently. Ashley replied in a soft whisper, "It was a rotten day. I broke up with Andros and had to work the closing shift at work. It went by so slowly, but finally 9pm arrived. I closed up the store and was on my way to my car, and then I woke up in the basement of my old lake house." She explained as TJ took notes of her account for the police report.
Ashley started coughing, so the paramedics gave her a cup of water. TJ took the opportunity to call ahead to the dojo where he knew everyone was waiting restlessly.
The phone rang in the office startling everyone in the room. The ringing had disturbed the soft swells of conversation and silenced the many people waiting. IT was the first phone call of the endless afternoon, and everyone held their breaths in hope. Jason bolding approached the phone, praying briefly that it was good news. "Hello?" He asked cautiously.
"Jase? It's TJ." The police officer declared, trying to remain calm. "Hold on, let me put you on speaker phone." Jason pushed the button and placed the phone back on its receiver.
"Hey guys!" TJ announced. "We found Ashley, and we're on our way to Angel Grove University Hospital. We should be there in 45 minutes." That was all he said as he listened to the group let out their collective breaths and celebrated. People began hugging each other as the somber mood of the room evaporated.
Mr. Hammond and Jeff hugged as tears fell freely down their cheeks. Cassie volunteered to get a bag together for Ashley, as she assumed she would be in the hospital at least overnight, and hopefully not longer. Andros stood still, completely in shock. Joy rushed through him suddenly and he embraced Zhane. Carlos came up to them at that moment and ushered them out to his car. The group was headed to the hospital in a huge caravan of former rangers.
They gathered in the waiting room of the emergency room once again to wait. But this time they knew the outcome. Most of them were relieved and calm, eager to see their friend; but one person was not so upbeat.
Jeff kept himself isolated from the rest of the group as they chatted, hiding by the vending machines to gather his thoughts. He was so grateful that Ashley was coming back, but what would her condition be? He had tried to remain positive for his dad and everyone else but inside all he felt was guilt. He had protected Ashley since they were little kids. And now the one person they dreaded the most had come back to haunt them. And he had done nothing to protect her. He had been so confident that Ashley had forgiven Andros. But could she forgive him? Her brother? He punched the machine in frustration. He wouldn't blame her if she didn't.
"What did the machine ever do to you?" Carlos asked as he joined Jeff. "Nothing." He mumbled.
"I bet this has been hard on you." Carlos commented as he watched the gut wrenching pain written all over Jeff's face. "Not as hard as it was on Ashley." He uttered in disgust.
"Don't do that to yourself man. Each of you had to go through your own hell. Heck, there's still a lot of stuff to go through." The former black ranger advised one of his oldest friends. "She's going to need you more than ever."
"What if she doesn't forgive me?" Jeff asked doubtfully. Carlos could not imagine what he or Ashley was going through or had gone through as children. But he could see that it was tearing them apart.
"Only time will tell. But Ashley isn't one to hold a grudge. I think the question you should ask is, Will you forgive yourself?" Carlos challenged the slightly older man. He let Jeff think on that and quietly left.
TJ was curious, but hesitated to ask. 'What had made Ashley try to escape? Something must have happened?' Finally he got up the courage. "How did you escape?"
"Shelley told me she was going after Jeff. That was the final straw. There was no way in hell she was going to get to my brother. She was going to have to go through me." Ashley declared emphatically as her face flushed red in anger.
"What if you hadn't gotten away?" TJ mentioned. "I never thought of that. I was the only one who could protect my brother. I did what I had to do." Ashley explained patiently.
"Preparing to land!" The pilot shouted as the helicopter began its descent unto the hospital roof. TJ held Ashley's hand through the turbulence. Doctors were waiting to escort Ashley down into the emergency room. Captain Harris relieved TJ of his duties and told him to join his friends down in the waiting room.
TJ stopped outside the waiting room and observed the group. He was about to enter, but before he did an observant Cassie spotted him.
"TJ!" Cassie hollered as the group turned to watch him enter the room. They all gathered around for any sort of information. "How is she?" Andros demanded of his former teammate.
"I can't say for sure. They brought her into the ER for testing and some ex- rays. We'll have to wait and see how she is." TJ said vaguely. "I wish I knew more, but I'm not a doctor." He apologized.
"You may not be a doctor," Mr. Hammond agreed, "But you and your fellow officers helped to save my daughter, and I will always be grateful." He spoke up as his emotions overwhelmed him.
"Where did you find her?" Carlos questioned his best friend.
TJ recounted the amazing details of her rescue. "We found her in the woods. She had managed to escape and had been on the run."
"Where's Shelley? She wouldn't have just let her go." Carlos decided firmly. TJ replied, "She was out cold in the basement. Ashley struck her on the back of the head with a bar and escaped. Shelley is now in police custody."
"What made her try to escape?" Jeff spoke up quietly from outside the circle of friends and family.
TJ looked uncomfortable with Jeff's question. But he knew he had to be honest and forward. "Shelley threatened to come after you, Jeff." TJ informed him.
"Oh my god." Jeff whispered as the reality set in. Ashley had protected him and risked her own life to do it. "Can we see her?" He asked softly.
"Not yet. The doctors are running some tests. She has some pretty serious injuries." TJ informed them somberly. But even his statement could stop their elation that Ashley was back.
The waiting room door swung open and the doctor stepped through. "Hi, I'm Dr. Terrence, we are about to examine Ashley, but if you'd like there is a window, you can see her." The group was too large to go at once, so Mr. Hammond, Jeff, and the astro team went up alone. The others stayed behind.
Ashley was in so much pain. All the events of the past week had finally caught up to her. The nurse had gotten rid of her filthy, torn clothes and replaced them with a hospital gown. Dr. Terrence returned and opened the curtain to the room, revealing her friends and family. Ashley tried not to look at them. They with all their guilt written on their faces, concerned and worried about her. It was the last straw. She was not ready to see them. Part of her was still angry at their unwillingness to believe her. "This wouldn't have happened, if they would have believed me." She cried out loud, luckily no one outside the room could hear her. She was so upset the nurse had to sedate her so they could work on her injuries. Tears came pouring down her face as she sobbed and sobbed. IT broke Andros's heart to see her in such distress.
A few minutes later, she was calm as they cleaned and stitched up the scratches on her legs and arms. Dr. Terrence thought she might be suffering from a concussion, a broken left wrist, and some cracked ribs, but only an ex-ray would tell for sure. "Send her down for some ex-rays. Let me know the second they come back." He ordered the technician as he started to roll her down the hall.
Dr. Terrence turned to Ashley. "You can see your friends while you go to ex- ray." He didn't know his words would cause such anguish. "No." she whispered. "I don't want to see anyone." Dr. Terrence was surprised but not too much. She had been through a lot; she needed some rest and time to recover. He complied with her request, so the tech took her out the back door while he went to explain to her friends and family. They all stood up as he entered the room.
"What's going on? How is she?" Mr. Hammond questioned anxiously. The others were quiet as they waited for the report.
"Physically, she'll heal in a few weeks. I sent her down for x-rays to see if there was a concussion. She probably has a broken left wrist and some cracked ribs, but she's very lucky it's not worse." Dr. Terrence reported. "I'm more concerned with her emotional health. She is in a very vulnerable state right now, so I will reevaluate her in the morning and see how she is."
"Thank you doctor." Mr. Hammond said gratefully, shaking the doctors hand. They all sat down to wait on the results of her x-rays.
Ashley was wheeled into a private room after she finished with her x-rays. She was hooked up to numerous monitors to make sure all her organs were functioning properly. She had an IV in to feed her with more nutrients and liquid to help speed up her recovery. The sedatives began to kick in as she felt herself relax into sleep.
Dr. Terrence studied the ex-rays and determined that she did have a concussion, broken left wrist, and a few cracked ribs. He sent down an order to the pharmacy for some painkillers. He checked in on his patient before reporting back to her friends and family. He was relieved to see her resting comfortably, the suffering temporarily wiped off her face.
"The ex-rays confirmed my suspicions. They also showed a tear in the ACL in her left knee. She'll need some physical therapy when she is released from the hospital." Dr. Terrence stated.
"When will that be?" Jeff demanded of the doctor. "It's all up to Ashley and how she feels. She may feel too frightened to leave. Like I said before, we're most concerned with her emotional state and how she'll react to returning to normal life."
"You expect it to be a hard transition?" Andros asked curiously. "Most victims of violence have a hard time adjusting to life after the attack. Some of them never recover. That's why we are taking this so seriously, we want Ashley to go back to being who she was before the attack." They were surprised at his news, they had never thought about the after effects of Ashley's ordeal. "She's resting comfortably now. Why don't you come back in the morning, and we'll know more then." Dr. Terrence suggested to the weary group. Seeing as there was nothing they could do there, they agreed.
Friday morning 9am.
Ashley woke up with a splitting headache as the sedatives wore off. She groaned as her body protested against her decision to move. Lying back in defeat, Ashley became aware of her surroundings. Her hospital room was small, but clean. The isolation was a welcome change from the busyness of the night before. She relished the quiet, even though she was left with memories of her ordeal. Flashes of different moments raced through her brain, from the night she was in the parking lot to when she woke up in the basement, to seeing Shelley for the first time, and to the moment she escaped. She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to block out those images and the pain that she was confronted with as she became fully awake. Looking down at herself, she saw a cast on her wrist and a large brace on her knee, not to mention the numerous bandages that covered her limbs.
Memories of last night came to her mind as she remembered seeing her friends and family staring in the window. She noticed the looks of guilt and couldn't deal with it. She had her own guilt and nightmares to deal with. She didn't need theirs. Tears began to fall as the pain started to overwhelm her. At that moment Dr. Terrence came in to speak with her.
"How are you this morning Ashley?" He asked tenderly, taking in the painful expression on her face and her tears.
"I have a lot of pain." She admitted to him and he quickly ordered some painkillers to help remedy that situation, so that he could get through to her emotionally. "You know, everyone is waiting out in the lobby hoping to see you." He stated.
"I don't care. I just don't want to see anyone right now. I want to be alone." Ashley told the doctor in no uncertain terms. "If that's your wish, you don't have to see anyone. But is there any particular reason?"
"I know they were worried and I don't want to cause them any more grief, but last night all I saw was their guilt. I know they feel bad because they didn't believe me, and I can't deal with them right now. It's hard enough for me as it is." Ashley clarified for the doctor.
"When do you think you'll be ready?" He questioned cautiously, not wanting to upset her. "I don't know." Ashley cried out in frustration. "I want to but. I just can't."
Dr. Terrence waited a few moments before presenting another option." Well there is another option. I talked to Captain Harris and he agreed that this would be a good solution. We have an excellent counseling center in Hawaii that deals with victims of violence. They have great counselors and you can get away and talk to people who are going through exactly what you're going through. It's your decision." Dr. Terrence advised her.
Ashley didn't even hesitate. "I'd like that." She even smiled briefly, assuring Dr. Terrence that this was the right plan of action. He went to talk to her family and inform them of her decision.
"How long will she be gone?" Mr. Hammond wanted to know. If this would help Ashley he would send her there.
"It's a two month program. It's a nationally recognized center with exceptional staff and facilities. She'll get whatever she needs there, including her physical therapy." Dr. Terrence reassured them.
"When does she have to go? And what is the cost?" Jeff asked. "We have a ticket for her to leave this evening, they have an immediate opening. There's no reason to wait. The closer to the attack that she arrives, the better her recovery will be." Dr. Terrence spoke optimistically.
"Dad, are you sure about this?" Jeff inquired doubtfully. He didn't know how anyone could help his sister more than her friends and family.
"Yeah, Jeff I do. I don't see a way around it. If this is what she needs, then fine." Mr. Hammond was a bit frightened at not seeing Ashley for 2 months, but he knew it was the right decision in the long run.
"What about the cost?" Mr. Hammond asked again. At this time TJ came into the room and informed them, "The department has taken care of it." They were shocked at the generosity of the police.
"I can't let you do this TJ." Mr. Hammond protested. "Captain Harris insisted." TJ declared.
Cassie and Carlos left then to go pack some bags for Ashley. They filled it with her clothes and music, along with some pictures.
"I'm going to miss her." Cassie said as she and Carlos put Ashley's bags in Carlos's jeep. "Me too, but at least we know she's safe and she can get the help she needs." Carlos told her. "Honestly, I'm more worried about Andros." He confessed, trying to lighten the mood. It worked as she giggled in response. "Oh, and we can throw her a surprise party when she gets back. Oh there is so much to plan, and we only have two months!" She exclaimed in excitement.
Mr. Hammond and Jeff went home after Ashley had been airlifted to the airport for her flight to Hawaii. The others went to the café to catch up with the other rangers and to comfort one another.
THE END!
A/N: Finally! I never planned on this becoming a trilogy, it just sort of evolved. I hope you enjoyed the first two parts, thanks for your patience while I finished them. Look for Part 3: Returning in the next week or so. Please review.
Summary for Returning:
Will the road to recovery lead Ashley back home?
Thursday 3 pm
Ashley paced around the small basement desperately searching for anything she could use to her advantage. She had to stop Shelley from getting to Jeff. Glancing up at the window she noticed there were bars on the inside. 'Maybe one of those bars is loose.' She thought hopefully, after all the house was pretty old. She pushed an old wooden chair under the window with her hands still bound. She put her left leg up first, grimacing as all her weight rested on her injured limb and pulled herself up to a standing position. Catching her breath, she lifted her hands to start pulling at the bars. After ten minutes of extreme exertion her hard work was rewarded when the bar finally came loose, along with a ton of dust! Prying it away from the window, she let it drop unto the floor and lightly jumped off the chair. Ashley returned the chair to its usual position by the sink and hid the bar under her blanket. She sat against the wall to regain her composure and to come up with a plan.
Before Jeff could even park the car, Mr. Hammond had jumped out and was on his way inside of the police station. Before he could take a step though, TJ, Captain Harris, and a few other officers came pouring out of the station. Jeff noticed this and left his car out on the street.
"What is it?" Mr. Hammond demanded of TJ. TJ stopped a minute to give them a full report. "We have reason to believe Ashley is at Hangman's Island. We're on our way now. We'll call you as soon as we know anything." The young officer informed the distraught family. He immediately hopped into his squad car and sped away, looking to make the three-hour trip a lot faster. Jeff and Mr. Hammond watched as the squad cars pulled away, lights flashing and sirens blaring.
"I hope they find her." Mr. Hammond finally spoke desolately. The emotional toll his daughter's disappearance had on him was finally coming to light as the tears began to fall. Jeff comforted his father and escorted him back to the car.
"Come on dad. I'm sure if they think she's there that they will find her. She'll be back with us in no time." Jeff spoke optimistically. The whole time Ashley had been missing, it never once occurred to him that she would never come back. He couldn't allow himself to think that way.
"I don't want to go home. It just seems so empty without Ashley." Mr. Hammond admitted to his son as the two pulled away from the police station.
"I have an idea." Jeff declared as he made his way to the dojo. He pulled into the parking lot just as a bunch of kids and their parents left the building. The two men walked into an empty dojo, as there was a break between classes until after school.
Adam looked up to see Jeff and his dad coming unto the floor. He quickly alerted Jason and Tommy to their arrival. "What's going on Jeff?" He asked the harried looking young man.
"TJ and the police just took off for Hangman's Island. They think that's where Ashley is." He reported, desperately hoping they would find his sister.
"Is there anything we can do?" Tommy questioned Jeff. "TJ said they'd call us as soon as they knew anything." Jeff replied wearily.
"They just left so they'll be there in about 3 hours or less." Jason decided. He guided the group to the break room and directed Tommy to order some food. He himself went to his office to make some phone calls.
Jason sat down at his desk and pulled out the afternoon rosters of their classes. Starting at the top he sent into motion a phone tree informing all the kids that afternoon classes had been cancelled. That task completed, Jason started a new chain of phone calls beginning with Trini.
"So you'll let everyone know they can come and wait at the dojo?" Jason confirmed with the Asian girl and original yellow ranger.
"Sure Jase. Billy and I will let everyone know, and we'll be there as soon as possible." Trini said before hanging up with Jason.
The red dressed young man rejoined the others in the break room. "I cancelled classes this afternoon." He announced to the group. "Everyone else will be gathering down here shortly." Jason finished up.
"Thanks Jason." Jeff said with gratitude. "I, We appreciate everything you've done for us to help Ashley." He said with tears in his eyes.
"Ashley is like family to us. We're more than happy to help out." Tommy declared truthfully. 'Besides, no one hurts a ranger and gets away with it.' He thought angrily.
"How are you holding up?" Adam asked compassionately. Jeff was about to reply, but his father jumped in before he could say a word.
"It's the worst feeling in the world. I feel so helpless. I feel like its all my fault, I regret that it happened fourteen years ago, but now it never should have happened again. I should have believed her." Mr. Hammond cried out in frustration.
"There is so many what if's but now we've got to focus on her return." Jeff said in response to his father's emotional protest.
"I'm here without you baby but your still on my lonely mind I think about you baby and I dream about you all the time I'm here without you baby but your still with me in my dreams And tonight it's only you and me"
Three doors down played on his radio as Andros hid out in his apartment. He didn't want to see the others, only wanted to live in his own guilt until Ashley came home. He didn't think he could make it till then. 'What have I done?' his mind cried out in anguish. He didn't want to dwell on what Ashley was going through, it would only drive him crazy. The only thing he knew was that he never wanted to be separated from her again. The phone rang as the cd played on. "Hello?" Andros questioned the caller.
"Hey Andros, it's Carlos. I just got word from Rocky that TJ is out at Hangman's Island, they got a lead that Ashley is there. We're all waiting down at the dojo." Carlos informed him hopefully.
"What if she's not there?" Andros asked fearing the worst. "You can't think like that Andros!" yelled Carlos. "TJ will find her and bring her back." Click. He hung up on the red ranger.
Andros just stared at the phone. 'Ashley's a fighter, and I trust TJ with my own life.' He reminded himself. Forcing himself off his couch, he left the house and jumped in his jeep and headed towards the dojo. 'She's going to be fine.' He repeated to himself as he began the excruciating task of waiting.
Thursday 5 pm
"Hold on if you feel like letting go
Hold on it gets better than you know"
The Good Charlotte song ran through Ashley's mind and dispelled any doubts that she had of surviving. All her experiences as a ranger prepared her somewhat for this ordeal. She played out her plan in her mind and began to prepare mentally for the task ahead. Thoughts of Andros, her family and friends pushed Ashley to be more determined in her will to escape. Memories of long ago resurfaced in her mind as she was filled with anger as she remembered the fireworks incident. Shelley had left Jeff and Ashley alone with two teenagers and Ashley had ended up in the hospital with burns from the fireworks.
'How dare that woman do that to me then, and now! If she wants to get Jeff she has to go through me! If Astronema couldn't kill me, I'll be damned if this crazy lady will!' She knew that Shelley would be down soon with her dinner, she only prayed it would be dark enough by then to go through with her plan.
Quiet music filled the background of the solemn dojo as many of the old rangers waited with the Hammonds and the astro team for any word on Ashley. Andros arrived and was surprised by all the support. With sudden clarity, he realized he shouldn't have been. Everyone who knew Ashley loved her, and he knew that the rangers were family. Whenever one of them was hurting they were all hurting. And for one of the rare times in his life the usually withdrawn Kerovian was glad for the support. He saw Carlos talking to Cassie and made his way over to the former black astro ranger to apologize.
"Carlos, about earlier."Andros started to apologize but Carlos stopped him. "Never mind Andros, I know you're upset, we all are. But we got to think she's coming back." He gently reproved his friend. Andros nodded in agreement and the two shook hands in friendship.
Zhane watched his best friend pace the dojo back and forth frantically. He went over to calm him down. "Man Andros, you're going to wear a hole right through the floor." He joked.
"Yeah well, I hate waiting." Andros muttered as he finally did stop pacing. "I only hope she'll forgive me." He confessed softly, so softly Zhane had to strain to hear him. Noticing the serious look on Andros's face, the former silver ranger led him out to another room.
"Some times bad things happen to make you stronger. I mean, you never would have met Ashley if KO-35 hadn't been attacked. And that seemed to work out okay." Zhane declared with a wisdom Andros didn't know he possessed.
"I'm going to marry her." Andros declared suddenly shocking Zhane. Talk about changing subjects. "IF she allows me to." He quickly added. Before Zhane could respond, someone else jumped in.
"If you ask her I'm sure she'll say yes." Jeff spoke up from behind the duo. Andros looked at her brother stunned. "How do you know that Jeff?"
"I know my sister. She always talks about you and how she wants to settle down." Jeff confided in the former red ranger. "Besides, I harassed her enough, I wanted her to be sure. I'll admit I had my doubts, but she never doubted you Andros. Never." He admitted honestly.
"I promise I won't do anything that would make you or your dad doubt me. And I promise to take care of her forever." Andros vowed emphatically.
"I know you will Andros. And I'm glad I was wrong about you." Jeff commented with a smile. He reached out to shake his hand. Jeff was about to return to the group when Andros asked him a question.
"Do you think she'll forgive me?" Andros inquired softly. "She already has Andros." Jeff replied and then left leaving the two Kerovians to ponder his statement.
TJ sat silently looking out the window of the squad car as the unit raced towards Hangman's Island. 'What if we're not there in time? I'll never forgive myself.' Lt. Gibson glanced at his unusually somber and quiet partner. "We'll get there in time Teej." He tried to reassure the younger man. TJ's head snapped up. "Don't tell me we have time!" His voice echoed through the car. He calmed down and continued, "I just have a feeling that time is of the essence." He spoke tensely, clenching his fists in order to control his anxiety. A spark of determination rushed through him. 'I never let one of my teammates down, and I'm not going to start now.' He offered a silent prayer for protection for Ashley.
Little did he know that as he spoke Ashley was about to make her way out of the house and disappear into the woods.
Thursday, 6pm
Ashley watched as the shadows of the fading daylight slowly turned into darkness. Finally her chance to put her plan into action. She heard the door slowly creak open, alerting her to her captor's appearance. Ashley pushed herself off the floor and grabbed the bar from under the blanket. Silently she went to the bottom of the stairs and waited.
Footsteps tell her the moment to attack is near. Shelley descends the stairs unaware that anything is amiss. Holding the dinner tray she is defenseless, even if she could see Ashley. She took a step beyond where Ashley was hiding. She called out to her, "Dinner." in her saccharine sweet voice.
Holding her breath, Ashley swung the bar with all her might connecting with the back of Shelley's head. The blow knocked the woman down; the dinner tray spilled all over the floor. Shelley lay motionless and Ashley didn't hesitate to escape. She limped up the stairs and made her way out of the house, not stopping to close the front door. Not taking any chances she didn't stop moving, disappearing further into the woods and away from Shelley.
Finally when she couldn't breathe anymore she leaned against a tree for support. Her legs weak from lack of use refused to bear her weight anymore. She collapsed on the ground as her vision blurred. Her head throbbed painfully as she closed her eyes wishing the pain away. She prayed that Shelley wouldn't wake up and that someone would find her.
As darkness fully descended the temperature dropped. Ashley's torn yellow sweater offered her little protection from the cold. She shivered as the seconds turned to minutes, and the minutes felt like hours. 'Will anyone find me?' she thought worriedly as her injuries reduced her to tears.
She didn't know that at that very moment TJ and the police had pulled up at the lake house.
"What the hell?" TJ practically shouted as they pulled up in front of the lake house. The others were right on his heels as he raced up the stairs. The front door was wide open and the house strangely silent. He glanced back to check that the brown Honda was still in the driveway. Something was wrong. TJ's heart began to pound as fear crept into his thoughts. Captain Harris pushed past TJ to lead the charge into the house. The policemen crept around the corners looking for Shelley.
"Down here!" Officer Kaplan shouted as he paused in front of the open basement door. Captain Harris nodded and they descended down the stairs. Shining his flashlight, TJ was horrified when he saw a body lying on the ground. He forced himself to breath as he checked the identity of the victim. He felt for a pulse and was relieved that whoever it was, was still alive. Turning her over carefully, he sighed in relief to discover it was not Ashley. 'So where is she?' he thought worried.
"Who is it Johnson?" Captain Harris demanded as the rest of the team searched the basement for clues. "Ms. Martinson." He replied quickly.
"Where's the victim?" Officer Jones asked curiously. "She must have escaped." TJ rationalized. He quickly sped up the stairs and headed outside to look for Ashley. He headed into the woods shouting her name. His partner and two others were right behind him, as Captain Harris called in an ambulance to take Shelley away.
TJ's relief was short lived when he took a look at the woods. It was dark and Ashley could be anywhere. Plus she must be injured. He shuddered to think about the pain she had to endure. Ashley would not have gone down without a fight. However, she must have escaped not too long before since Shelley was still out cold. That thought gave him hope. Energy renewed, he strode determined into the woods to search for his missing friend.
"ASHLEY!" TJ hollered hoping for some sort of response. The branches stirring in the wind was the only sound. He called again his voice echoing through the endless forest. The lack of response urged him to go further, Ashley needed him, he was sure of it.
Ashley felt her eyes closing as she huddled in a ball to keep herself warm. 'What was that Andros always told me?' She wondered, trying to recall his advice. She didn't instantly remember but memories of her boyfriend and being in his arms warmed her up a bit. Suddenly she remembered. 'He always said if you were cold not to fall asleep. You could freeze to death.' She realized she didn't want to die, and even though her and Andros had broken up, Ashley believed it wasn't permanent. The only good thing to come from her ordeal was that it reaffirmed her love for Andros. He was her reason to live. He made her feel alive. Determinedly, she forced her eyes wide open and tried to focus on moving. She sat up despite the pain in her left side.
Her knee was badly swollen from her falling down the stairs, which she didn't remember. Being hit on the head with a brick had given her a concussion, so her memories were sort of fuzzy from the past week. Her legs were covered with scratches, results of being dragged through the woods after Shelley had knocked her out. Ashley's wrists were raw where the rope had burned through the skin. 'I've got to keep going.' She said to motivate herself. Strong willed, Ashley pressed herself on in spite of the pain. The darkness did nothing to help her blurry vision.
"ASHLEY!" TJ's deep voice called out tirelessly. "She couldn't have gone too far." Lt. Gibson assured him. TJ just kept calling out for her.
Ashley tripped over a log and landed awkwardly on her wounded left arm. She didn't waste time crying or complaining, she simply forced herself to keep going. She would have time to cry later, but now she had to find a way out. A few feet away she paused to catch her breath, when she thought she heard a voice. She forced herself to calm down, how could she hear anything when her heart was pounding so?
She heard the voice again, more clearly this time. "ASHLEY!" They said her name. The voice was so familiar. 'TJ!' Her mind suddenly recognized. Ashley yelled back, "TJ!" as loud as she could despite its soreness caused by dehydration.
TJ stopped; he thought he had heard someone. He hoped that it wasn't his imagination. Hopefully he called out again. "ASHLEY!" And there was an instant reply. "TJ!"
Grinning from ear to ear he started running in the direction of her voice. "ASHLEY, keep talking so I can find you!" He instructed her as the other officers followed him.
"I'm over here Teej! Please hurry!" She shouted as she finally allowed herself to relax. She was safe. TJ was so close. The tired girl thought to herself. 'I'm going home.'
"Ashley!" TJ greeted the girl joyfully as he saw her across the way. He ran to her side and gathered her tenderly in his embrace. "I'm so glad you're ok." He whispered.
"I knew you would find me TJ." Ashley acknowledged gratefully. TJ quickly cut off the rope and freed her arms.
"Well let's get you out of here." TJ declared. He picked up his walkie- talkie. "Johnson to Hector 77. We got her. Send down the helicopter." He announced with excitement.
The whirring of the helicopter signaled its arrival as it landed in a clearing a few hundred feet away. Ashley started to walk away, and TJ noticed the lack of mobility of her left side. Quickly he scooped the girl into his arms and hurried to where the paramedics were waiting. As he ran he noticed she had lost weight. Solemnly he realized her physical ordeal was over, but the emotional one had just begun.
The paramedics loaded her onto a stretcher and put an IV into her arm to provide her with nutrients and water for her malnourished and dehydrated body. They placed some probes on her heart to monitor its rate and had oxygen on hand in case she needed it. Captain Harris shut the door and the helicopter began its ascent into the sky and back towards Angel Grove.
The pilot called ahead to the hospital to alert them to the helicopter landing with an injured patient. The Paramedics worked to make Ashley as comfortable as possible, covering her with blankets to keep her warm. In the light of the helicopter, TJ could make out the bruises that covered most of Ashley's body. He was horrified to discover the evidence of the physical abuse she was forced to endure.
"I was so scared when I got to the house and the front door was open. It was so quiet, it really frightened me. And then when we found a body downstairs, I was so relieved when we discovered it wasn't you." TJ admitted to her, tears forming in his dark brown eyes. Ashley had tears in her eyes too, and couldn't find the words to say. In a simple gesture, she placed her hand on his to comfort him. They both sat still for a few moments, allowing some of the shock to wear off.
Reluctantly TJ took the opportunity to probe Ashley for answers. He knew once they got to the hospital, she would be ambushed by a myriad of doctors, not to mention friends and family that were anxious to see her.
"Ash, can you tell me about the day you disappeared?" TJ confronted her gently. Ashley replied in a soft whisper, "It was a rotten day. I broke up with Andros and had to work the closing shift at work. It went by so slowly, but finally 9pm arrived. I closed up the store and was on my way to my car, and then I woke up in the basement of my old lake house." She explained as TJ took notes of her account for the police report.
Ashley started coughing, so the paramedics gave her a cup of water. TJ took the opportunity to call ahead to the dojo where he knew everyone was waiting restlessly.
The phone rang in the office startling everyone in the room. The ringing had disturbed the soft swells of conversation and silenced the many people waiting. IT was the first phone call of the endless afternoon, and everyone held their breaths in hope. Jason bolding approached the phone, praying briefly that it was good news. "Hello?" He asked cautiously.
"Jase? It's TJ." The police officer declared, trying to remain calm. "Hold on, let me put you on speaker phone." Jason pushed the button and placed the phone back on its receiver.
"Hey guys!" TJ announced. "We found Ashley, and we're on our way to Angel Grove University Hospital. We should be there in 45 minutes." That was all he said as he listened to the group let out their collective breaths and celebrated. People began hugging each other as the somber mood of the room evaporated.
Mr. Hammond and Jeff hugged as tears fell freely down their cheeks. Cassie volunteered to get a bag together for Ashley, as she assumed she would be in the hospital at least overnight, and hopefully not longer. Andros stood still, completely in shock. Joy rushed through him suddenly and he embraced Zhane. Carlos came up to them at that moment and ushered them out to his car. The group was headed to the hospital in a huge caravan of former rangers.
They gathered in the waiting room of the emergency room once again to wait. But this time they knew the outcome. Most of them were relieved and calm, eager to see their friend; but one person was not so upbeat.
Jeff kept himself isolated from the rest of the group as they chatted, hiding by the vending machines to gather his thoughts. He was so grateful that Ashley was coming back, but what would her condition be? He had tried to remain positive for his dad and everyone else but inside all he felt was guilt. He had protected Ashley since they were little kids. And now the one person they dreaded the most had come back to haunt them. And he had done nothing to protect her. He had been so confident that Ashley had forgiven Andros. But could she forgive him? Her brother? He punched the machine in frustration. He wouldn't blame her if she didn't.
"What did the machine ever do to you?" Carlos asked as he joined Jeff. "Nothing." He mumbled.
"I bet this has been hard on you." Carlos commented as he watched the gut wrenching pain written all over Jeff's face. "Not as hard as it was on Ashley." He uttered in disgust.
"Don't do that to yourself man. Each of you had to go through your own hell. Heck, there's still a lot of stuff to go through." The former black ranger advised one of his oldest friends. "She's going to need you more than ever."
"What if she doesn't forgive me?" Jeff asked doubtfully. Carlos could not imagine what he or Ashley was going through or had gone through as children. But he could see that it was tearing them apart.
"Only time will tell. But Ashley isn't one to hold a grudge. I think the question you should ask is, Will you forgive yourself?" Carlos challenged the slightly older man. He let Jeff think on that and quietly left.
TJ was curious, but hesitated to ask. 'What had made Ashley try to escape? Something must have happened?' Finally he got up the courage. "How did you escape?"
"Shelley told me she was going after Jeff. That was the final straw. There was no way in hell she was going to get to my brother. She was going to have to go through me." Ashley declared emphatically as her face flushed red in anger.
"What if you hadn't gotten away?" TJ mentioned. "I never thought of that. I was the only one who could protect my brother. I did what I had to do." Ashley explained patiently.
"Preparing to land!" The pilot shouted as the helicopter began its descent unto the hospital roof. TJ held Ashley's hand through the turbulence. Doctors were waiting to escort Ashley down into the emergency room. Captain Harris relieved TJ of his duties and told him to join his friends down in the waiting room.
TJ stopped outside the waiting room and observed the group. He was about to enter, but before he did an observant Cassie spotted him.
"TJ!" Cassie hollered as the group turned to watch him enter the room. They all gathered around for any sort of information. "How is she?" Andros demanded of his former teammate.
"I can't say for sure. They brought her into the ER for testing and some ex- rays. We'll have to wait and see how she is." TJ said vaguely. "I wish I knew more, but I'm not a doctor." He apologized.
"You may not be a doctor," Mr. Hammond agreed, "But you and your fellow officers helped to save my daughter, and I will always be grateful." He spoke up as his emotions overwhelmed him.
"Where did you find her?" Carlos questioned his best friend.
TJ recounted the amazing details of her rescue. "We found her in the woods. She had managed to escape and had been on the run."
"Where's Shelley? She wouldn't have just let her go." Carlos decided firmly. TJ replied, "She was out cold in the basement. Ashley struck her on the back of the head with a bar and escaped. Shelley is now in police custody."
"What made her try to escape?" Jeff spoke up quietly from outside the circle of friends and family.
TJ looked uncomfortable with Jeff's question. But he knew he had to be honest and forward. "Shelley threatened to come after you, Jeff." TJ informed him.
"Oh my god." Jeff whispered as the reality set in. Ashley had protected him and risked her own life to do it. "Can we see her?" He asked softly.
"Not yet. The doctors are running some tests. She has some pretty serious injuries." TJ informed them somberly. But even his statement could stop their elation that Ashley was back.
The waiting room door swung open and the doctor stepped through. "Hi, I'm Dr. Terrence, we are about to examine Ashley, but if you'd like there is a window, you can see her." The group was too large to go at once, so Mr. Hammond, Jeff, and the astro team went up alone. The others stayed behind.
Ashley was in so much pain. All the events of the past week had finally caught up to her. The nurse had gotten rid of her filthy, torn clothes and replaced them with a hospital gown. Dr. Terrence returned and opened the curtain to the room, revealing her friends and family. Ashley tried not to look at them. They with all their guilt written on their faces, concerned and worried about her. It was the last straw. She was not ready to see them. Part of her was still angry at their unwillingness to believe her. "This wouldn't have happened, if they would have believed me." She cried out loud, luckily no one outside the room could hear her. She was so upset the nurse had to sedate her so they could work on her injuries. Tears came pouring down her face as she sobbed and sobbed. IT broke Andros's heart to see her in such distress.
A few minutes later, she was calm as they cleaned and stitched up the scratches on her legs and arms. Dr. Terrence thought she might be suffering from a concussion, a broken left wrist, and some cracked ribs, but only an ex-ray would tell for sure. "Send her down for some ex-rays. Let me know the second they come back." He ordered the technician as he started to roll her down the hall.
Dr. Terrence turned to Ashley. "You can see your friends while you go to ex- ray." He didn't know his words would cause such anguish. "No." she whispered. "I don't want to see anyone." Dr. Terrence was surprised but not too much. She had been through a lot; she needed some rest and time to recover. He complied with her request, so the tech took her out the back door while he went to explain to her friends and family. They all stood up as he entered the room.
"What's going on? How is she?" Mr. Hammond questioned anxiously. The others were quiet as they waited for the report.
"Physically, she'll heal in a few weeks. I sent her down for x-rays to see if there was a concussion. She probably has a broken left wrist and some cracked ribs, but she's very lucky it's not worse." Dr. Terrence reported. "I'm more concerned with her emotional health. She is in a very vulnerable state right now, so I will reevaluate her in the morning and see how she is."
"Thank you doctor." Mr. Hammond said gratefully, shaking the doctors hand. They all sat down to wait on the results of her x-rays.
Ashley was wheeled into a private room after she finished with her x-rays. She was hooked up to numerous monitors to make sure all her organs were functioning properly. She had an IV in to feed her with more nutrients and liquid to help speed up her recovery. The sedatives began to kick in as she felt herself relax into sleep.
Dr. Terrence studied the ex-rays and determined that she did have a concussion, broken left wrist, and a few cracked ribs. He sent down an order to the pharmacy for some painkillers. He checked in on his patient before reporting back to her friends and family. He was relieved to see her resting comfortably, the suffering temporarily wiped off her face.
"The ex-rays confirmed my suspicions. They also showed a tear in the ACL in her left knee. She'll need some physical therapy when she is released from the hospital." Dr. Terrence stated.
"When will that be?" Jeff demanded of the doctor. "It's all up to Ashley and how she feels. She may feel too frightened to leave. Like I said before, we're most concerned with her emotional state and how she'll react to returning to normal life."
"You expect it to be a hard transition?" Andros asked curiously. "Most victims of violence have a hard time adjusting to life after the attack. Some of them never recover. That's why we are taking this so seriously, we want Ashley to go back to being who she was before the attack." They were surprised at his news, they had never thought about the after effects of Ashley's ordeal. "She's resting comfortably now. Why don't you come back in the morning, and we'll know more then." Dr. Terrence suggested to the weary group. Seeing as there was nothing they could do there, they agreed.
Friday morning 9am.
Ashley woke up with a splitting headache as the sedatives wore off. She groaned as her body protested against her decision to move. Lying back in defeat, Ashley became aware of her surroundings. Her hospital room was small, but clean. The isolation was a welcome change from the busyness of the night before. She relished the quiet, even though she was left with memories of her ordeal. Flashes of different moments raced through her brain, from the night she was in the parking lot to when she woke up in the basement, to seeing Shelley for the first time, and to the moment she escaped. She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to block out those images and the pain that she was confronted with as she became fully awake. Looking down at herself, she saw a cast on her wrist and a large brace on her knee, not to mention the numerous bandages that covered her limbs.
Memories of last night came to her mind as she remembered seeing her friends and family staring in the window. She noticed the looks of guilt and couldn't deal with it. She had her own guilt and nightmares to deal with. She didn't need theirs. Tears began to fall as the pain started to overwhelm her. At that moment Dr. Terrence came in to speak with her.
"How are you this morning Ashley?" He asked tenderly, taking in the painful expression on her face and her tears.
"I have a lot of pain." She admitted to him and he quickly ordered some painkillers to help remedy that situation, so that he could get through to her emotionally. "You know, everyone is waiting out in the lobby hoping to see you." He stated.
"I don't care. I just don't want to see anyone right now. I want to be alone." Ashley told the doctor in no uncertain terms. "If that's your wish, you don't have to see anyone. But is there any particular reason?"
"I know they were worried and I don't want to cause them any more grief, but last night all I saw was their guilt. I know they feel bad because they didn't believe me, and I can't deal with them right now. It's hard enough for me as it is." Ashley clarified for the doctor.
"When do you think you'll be ready?" He questioned cautiously, not wanting to upset her. "I don't know." Ashley cried out in frustration. "I want to but. I just can't."
Dr. Terrence waited a few moments before presenting another option." Well there is another option. I talked to Captain Harris and he agreed that this would be a good solution. We have an excellent counseling center in Hawaii that deals with victims of violence. They have great counselors and you can get away and talk to people who are going through exactly what you're going through. It's your decision." Dr. Terrence advised her.
Ashley didn't even hesitate. "I'd like that." She even smiled briefly, assuring Dr. Terrence that this was the right plan of action. He went to talk to her family and inform them of her decision.
"How long will she be gone?" Mr. Hammond wanted to know. If this would help Ashley he would send her there.
"It's a two month program. It's a nationally recognized center with exceptional staff and facilities. She'll get whatever she needs there, including her physical therapy." Dr. Terrence reassured them.
"When does she have to go? And what is the cost?" Jeff asked. "We have a ticket for her to leave this evening, they have an immediate opening. There's no reason to wait. The closer to the attack that she arrives, the better her recovery will be." Dr. Terrence spoke optimistically.
"Dad, are you sure about this?" Jeff inquired doubtfully. He didn't know how anyone could help his sister more than her friends and family.
"Yeah, Jeff I do. I don't see a way around it. If this is what she needs, then fine." Mr. Hammond was a bit frightened at not seeing Ashley for 2 months, but he knew it was the right decision in the long run.
"What about the cost?" Mr. Hammond asked again. At this time TJ came into the room and informed them, "The department has taken care of it." They were shocked at the generosity of the police.
"I can't let you do this TJ." Mr. Hammond protested. "Captain Harris insisted." TJ declared.
Cassie and Carlos left then to go pack some bags for Ashley. They filled it with her clothes and music, along with some pictures.
"I'm going to miss her." Cassie said as she and Carlos put Ashley's bags in Carlos's jeep. "Me too, but at least we know she's safe and she can get the help she needs." Carlos told her. "Honestly, I'm more worried about Andros." He confessed, trying to lighten the mood. It worked as she giggled in response. "Oh, and we can throw her a surprise party when she gets back. Oh there is so much to plan, and we only have two months!" She exclaimed in excitement.
Mr. Hammond and Jeff went home after Ashley had been airlifted to the airport for her flight to Hawaii. The others went to the café to catch up with the other rangers and to comfort one another.
THE END!
A/N: Finally! I never planned on this becoming a trilogy, it just sort of evolved. I hope you enjoyed the first two parts, thanks for your patience while I finished them. Look for Part 3: Returning in the next week or so. Please review.
Summary for Returning:
Will the road to recovery lead Ashley back home?
