DISCLAIMER: NOT MINE (AS MUCH AS I'D LIKE IT TO BE) SO DON'T SUE ME
Ashley Hammond/Astro Yellow: I got your review for the last chapters literally about three minutes after I put them up. The fun starts now. All hail Zhane!
emogeek1: I love Zhane. He's awesome.
Ghostwriter: Thanks, it does help. I was trying to remember what Karone was like. I did watch Lost Galaxy, but she came on halfway through the season and I didn't like Lost Galaxy as much as In Space.
Funky in Fishnet: Andros and Ashley were the cutest couple that the show ever had. Zhane and Karone would have been cute too, but they never gave them a chance.
Princess Emmie: Thanks. I wanted to make it be like the show, because this was my favorite show. I still watch it, but the new ones aren't as good.
Chapter 8: Jealousy and Love
Andros wandered through the Megaship not caring where he was going. After his happiness at having his friend back, he was starting to feel a little depressed and more than a little jealous. Zhane spent a lot of his time on Earth. Andros didn't mind. What bothered him was that when Zhane was on the Megaship, he spent most of his time with Ashley, and Ashley spent most of her time with Zhane. Whenever he saw them together, Andros wanted to run over and yank them apart.
From listening to the others talk, he had figured out that he liked Ashley. If Ashley liked him back, then they could go out. That meant that they would be boyfriend and girlfriend. That was what Andros wanted. But it was more complicated than that. For one thing, he couldn't figure out if Ashley liked him. For another, even if she did, he wasn't sure at all if he could have the courage to ask her to go out with him.
"Hey, Carlos, have you seen Ashley?" he asked as he passed the black ranger in the halls.
"Oh, yeah, I just saw her. She's in the engine room."
Andros nodded and kept walking. He went over what he would say in his mind and tried out a couple out loud. He thought it all sounded stupid, but if he didn't ask Ashley out, he at least wanted to see her. When he got to the open door of the engine room, he stopped cold.
Ashley was there, but Zhane was with her. He was standing behind her and one arm was wrapped around her shoulder. The other went around her waist and the front of her stomach.
"Andros tries to teach me sometimes," Ashley was saying. "But I don't think I learn fast enough."
"Andros teaches you telekinisis?" Zhane sounded surprised.
"On some nights," Ashley said. "But we haven't done it for awhile."
"I could help you," Zhane said. "If you want."
Ashley nodded. "I'd like that."
Andros stormed away. He didn't want to hear what else Ashley wanted Zhane to help her with. He had never been angrier with Zhane. He spent the rest of the day sulking in the workbay.
Around dinnertime, Zhane came by. "Are you eating with us?"
"No." Andros didn't look up.
"Why not?"
"I don't want to."
"Is something wrong?"
"No," Andros snapped. "Leave me alone."
Zhane looked wounded. "What did I do?"
"If you don't know, then you're not much of a friend."
Zhane rolled his eyes at the stupidity of that last remark. "Is this about something I did?"
"Yes."
"Will you tell me what I did?"
"No."
Zhane sighed. This was going to take awhile. "Fine, then I'll stay here and guess."
Twenty minutes and several obscure guesses later, Andros' temper finally snapped. Halfway through Zhane's "Did I reprogram Deca to like me?" Andros snapped, "You spend too much time with Ashley."
"Ashley and I are just friends," Zhane protested. He was trying hard to keep from laughing. It was blatantly obvious to everyone on the Megaship except Ashley herself that Andros was interested in her. Back on KO-35, lots of girls had liked Andros, but he had never shown any interest. This was something new.
"You two looked happy earlier."
"Look, man, I know that you like her," Zhane said. "I'm not trying to come between you two."
"Why should I believe you?" Andros glared at him.
"Because I have a - I have never- because it's true," Zhane stammered. He didn't think Andros would believe him, but he'd rather have Andros angry with him than find out about his girlfriend.
"Sure it is." Andros left and went to hide in his room.
"Deca," Zhane said. "Teleport me to the Angel Grove beach."
"Affirmative," Deca said. There was a hint of reproval in her voice.
A moment later, Zhane was inhaling the salty air of the ocean.
"I was starting to think you weren't coming."
Zhane smiled at the sound of her voice. "How could I not?"
He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her hard. "I've missed you."
"I missed you, too," she whispered. "Every time you leave, I don't know whether or not I'll ever see you again."
"Come with me," Zhane said. "Come to the Megaship."
"I can't," she said. "No matter how much I'd like to, and you know it."
"The others would probably kill you the instant they saw you," Zhane agreed.
She tilted her head back to gaze into his eyes. Her eyes were a deep blue. Her hair color changed constantly, but her eyes were always the same. "Let's go somewhere," Zhane said.
"Where?" she asked.
"A movie. Out to dinner. Anywhere."
"Wait," she said. She stepped back and a purple flame engulfed her. A momment later she was dressed in blue jeans and a purple and pink top. Her hair was shoulder length and blond.
Zhane stared at her. "You're beautiful," he said.
She laughed and took his hand. "Let's go."
Zhane slipped an arm around her waist and the two went off to have some fun.
Up on the Megaship, Andros was feeling guilty. "Deca, where's Zhane?" He should apologize.
"Zhane is on Earth."
"Is he alone?"
"No," Deca replied after a pause. "He is with a female companion."
"Zhane has a girlfriend?" Andros felt both relieved and stupid. "Wait, where's Ashley?"
"Ashley is in the bridge."
"Thanks, Deca," Andros replied, grinning.
Ashley turned around when Andros came in. "Hey," she said brightly. "What are you doing?"
"Would you like to go a movie with me?" Andros blurted out. "Like on a date?"
Ashley stared at him. "I thought you were never going to ask me. Of course I will!"
"You want to go now?"
"Sure," Ashley said. Andros slipped his arm around her waist as they left the Megaship.
Niether of them paid much attention to the movie, or even remembered which one they saw. Ashley leaned her head against Andros' shoulder and relaxed against him. Andros spent the entire movie staring at Ashley and thinking about how right it felt to be with her.
"Do you want to get something to eat?" Andros asked as they left the theater.
"I'm not really that hungry," Ashley said. "Are you?"
Andros shook his head. "Would you like to walk around?"
"Yeah," Ashley said. Andros wrapped his arm around her shoulder and pulled her close.
"Do you like the beach?"
"I love the beach," Ashley said, smiling.
They walked hand in hand along the water. Ashley started shivering. It was almost summer, but the night was cool, and she was dressed in shorts and a yellow tank top.
"Here, take my sweatshirt," Andros insisted, draping it around her shoulders. It was a little large on her, but it was warm from his wearing it. Ashley slipped her arms through the sleeves, and zipped it up gratefully.
"Why are you staring at me?" Ashley asked.
"You look really beautiful," Andros said softly.
Ashley blushed. "You're sweet."
"Can I kiss you?" Andros asked, pulling her so close his face was only inches from hers.
Ashley nodded, and Andros leaned forward, his lips brushing hers gently before kissing her again and again, each one more intense and passionate than the last.
"Ash?" Andros muttered reluctantly. "We should go back before we freeze."
Ashley nodded. Back on the Megaship, Andros held onto her for as long as he could, but he had to let her go at the door to her room. He kissed her one last time before going to bed himself.
A/N: I was laughing hysterically while I was writing this, especially the part with Zhane and his 'mystery' woman. This chapter is not to be taken too seriously, except for the part where Andros and Ashley get together. Hope you liked it! Please review.
