disclaimer: I don't own the power rangers. Also I don't own Zeri, Saryn, Aura and Cetaci and any other ranger from Aquintar, I read their names on Starhawk's website and thought they were kool.

timeline: Nine years after 'Better Late Than Never'.

summary: Something has it's eyes set on ranger children. Every ranger is scared of losing his or her family, especially Andros.

Jeanka; Sending the chart was no problem at all. Thanks for being honest, hope this chapter is better.

the-power-of-love; Well, here's the next chapter, tell me what you think.

TF Princess; Well, this is what happens next:

Protecting The Next Generation

Chapter 9

A month had passed by now and life had returned to what appeared to be normal. Kinwon had been shocked when Andros and Zhane had informed him about the meeting and showed him the information, but nothing had happened in the last month and the fear of an attack was still there, but had faded into the backs of peoples minds. That is, for most of them.

Every morning when Ashley woke up she wondered if Donnchadh would attack today and every night she thanked who ever was out there for keeping her children safe another day. Still she couldn't help but wonder, would she be a little more at ease if they told the children what was going on or would it only make matters worse? How would they react? Would they be scared? Would they be more careful? Would they be on their guard and ready to fight at any time of the day?

Ashley sighed and got up. She wanted, no NEEDED, to know what Andros thought about it, the only problem was, she didn't know where to find him.

After looking in every room in the house, she was starting to get worried. Andros hadn't said anything about a meeting he needed to attend, did he?

'Andros?' She asked.

'What's wrong, Ash?' Came his reply.

She let out a relieved sigh.

'Where are you?'

'I, uh...'

Ashley started to get worried. Was he hiding something from her?

'Look, I just want to talk to you about something.'

Now it was Andros turn the get worried. What did she want to talk about? This was the same why she told him about Brian. Surely she wasn't pregnant again, was she? Or was she thinking about leaving him? She had told him she probably would have if he hadn't started to spent more time at home than at work and he had made sure he did after that conversation. Could it be that without him knowing work started to dominate again? Well, the was only one way to find out. He swallowed the limp in his throat before replying.

'I'm at the lake, the one in the forest, remember?'

'Of course I remember.' Ashley replied indignant.

How could he even think she didn't remember it. It was one of the most beautiful places she had ever seen and if that wasn't enough to remember it by, it was the place where Brian was... A blush started to creep onto her cheeks and she quickly shook the memory out of her head. No time for that now.

'Want me to come to you?' Andros asked.

'No, I'll come to you. Being there always makes me feel at ease.'

'Alright, I'll see you soon then.'

'Yeah, I'll be there in a few minutes.'

With that Andros was left with his own thoughts, pondering on what the hell Ashley would want to talk about.

A few minutes later the sound of something moving through the buses reached his ears, announcing Ashley's arrival. He turned in the direction the sound was coming from. When Ashley spotted him, she smiled brightly, easing some of his fears. Surely if she wanted to talk about leaving him, she wouldn't smile like that, would she?

"Andros." She beamed, stepping into his arms and kissing him.

Nope, definitely not planning to leave him. Maybe she was pregnant after all.

"You wanted to talk about something." He whispered into her ear, bringing her back to reality.

"Yeah." She agreed. "Andros, I've been wondering."

"About what?" He asked, still not letting her go.

"Don't you think it would be wise to at least tell Armin and Paige what's going on?"

Andros was taken aback. Sure he had thought about that, but he had never thought that could be the reason why Ashley wanted to talk to him. Suddenly all the things his mind came up with sounded silly and he started to laugh.

"What are you laughing about, I'm dead serious." Ashley said sternly.

"Nothing, you just got me worried for a moment when you said you wanted to talk to me. I thought you were going to leave me after all or that you were pregnant again, seeing that was exactly what you said when you told me about Brian."

Now Ashley started laughing too and gave him another quick kiss.

"Silly."

Andros returned the kiss, before turning serious again.

"Back to your question. I've thought about it. It sounds wise to tell them, but on the other hand, they're only ten, they might get so scared, they'll refuse to leave the house, but then again we could be attacked any day and we can't hold their hands forever."

Ashley nuzzled closer to Andros.

"I know what you mean, but then again, remember how carefree they were on Elisia?"

"I'm glad we decided to go immediately after the meeting. It really helped to get everything to sink in before we returned to KO35." Andros agreed.

"What would have been the point of going to KO35 only to leave again a week later?" Ashley grinned.

"No point at all."

"Can you believe we have to wait a whole month until we surely see each other again?"

"That reminds me. I don't have a clue what to give Nat."

"Neither do I, but at least we can ask Zhane and Karone, without Nat noticing." Ashley smiled.

"True, it was a whole lot harder to think of a gift for Lynn." Andros agreed.

"What to give a girl for her sixth birthday, you'd think I would have thought of something. I mean, I'm a girl and I turned six too, though it was a long time ago."

Andros laughed.

"Maybe because YOU live on earth not knowing about space and Julynn lives on Elisia with rangers as parents."

"Very funny, but you don't seem to be able to think of something to give Nat, but you DID grow up and KO35." Ashley defended.

"But until you moved her, we didn't celebrate birthdays, remember?" Andros retorted, tickling her.

"ANDROS!" Ashley exclaimed and Andros stopped. "Watch it, buddy, that's exactly what happened when Brian..."

Andros started laughing and kissed her.

"Scared we'll have a Brian the second running around or something?" He teased.

"No, but do you want to explain to our children how a baby could suddenly appear in my belly?"

"Santa Clouse put it there?" Andros replied innocently.

"And you think they'll buy that?"

"No."

"Good."

"But it's worth a shot."

"Find somebody else, I gave you four children and I think that's enough."

"I wouldn't even think about it." Andros said, giving her a quick kiss when she was about to reply. "Now I think we should get back, for those devils will come home soon and I think it would be best to tell the twin and Wyatt."

"But when do we tell them?"

"After we put Brian to bed." Andros replied, kissing her again.

"Let me guess, that's not the only thing we'll be doing tonight." Ashley grinned.

"I guess we could have a little fun too, yes."

"And Karone wouldn't believe me when I told her you had hidden talents." (A/N: If you don't know what she's talking about; Better Late Than Never, chapter 15.)

Andros grinned and let her go, but kept an arms around her waist.

"Now we really have to go. We won't want those devils to think something has happened to us, now would we?"

"They're not devils, angels would be more like it. Zeri and Nathan, now they are devils."

Andros laughed and guided Ashley back through the woods to their house.

They had just closed the back door behind them when they heard Zhane's hover glide by.

"Looks like we're just in time." Ashley sighed.

"Disappointed?" Andros asked.

"No, I just hoped we would have just a little more time on our own."

"Tonight." He reminded her with a grin.

"We have to tell the kids about Donnchadh first." Ashley reminded him.

"Did you have to remind me?"

Ashley giggled and placed a quick kiss on his lips.

"I love you."

"I love you too." He replied. "But we have to focus on the kids first."

"That's what I said." She laughed.