Disclaimer: Not mine

Ashley Hammond/Astro Yellow: : )

Maresia Eterna: Sorry. I promise, this chapter won't end with a cliffhanger.

Miss Natalya: Thank you. There should be so many more stories about Andros and Ashley.

GreenDayfan1: I love Zhane. I actually like him better than Andros, but Andros and Ashley make a much cuter couple than Zhane and Karone. Arrow went away for awhile, but he'll be back.

Jenny: Whatever, laziness is fine. As long as you meant it all.

Chapter 13

The Megaship

Zhane stood by Andros' patient bed, listening to the monitors beep.

"So this is how he felt," he said out loud, not expecting to get a response.

"When you almost died, you mean?"

Zhane turned to see the yellow ranger standing in the doorway. Ashley, that was her name.

"Are you okay?" she asked him.

"Are you?" he retorted, seeing her eyes shining with unshed tears.

Ashley nodded, and brushed her sleeve across her eyes. "I wish . . . that he'd let me in," she murmured softly.

"Andros?" Zhane said. "He keeps people away. I was his best friend, and he didn't even trust me."

"I know," Ashley said. "But whenever he's feeling lonely or depressed . . . I feel it, too."

"What do you mean?" Zhane asked, a sudden suspicion flaring up in his mind. He dismissed it almost immediately, but he wanted to be sure.

"I mean I feel whatever he feels," Ashley said softly. "Like today, when Darkonda had him, I felt something. It didn't hurt, exactly, it was a kind of tingling feeling, and I knew that he was in pain."

She paused thoughtfully. "I know I'm explaining it badly, but it's hard to explain."

"Does he feel what you feel?" Zhane asked. He leaned in towards her, making his question all the more urgent.

Ashley shrugged. "He pretty much ignored me completely for the first four months that we were here. He treated the others all right, but he just acted like I wasn't even there, and then . . . it's a long story, but then he went back to ignoring me."

"And then?" Zhane prompted, sensing that there was more.

Ashley sighed. "Then his parents decided to visit."

Zhane sighed as well. "Loving people, aren't they?"

"How can they do that to him?" Ashley's eyes were sad as she glanced down at Andros' still form. "To their own son?"

Zhane shook his head. "I don't know, but whatever you saw of them, I can guarantee you that they were ten times worse back on KO-35, and ten times worse than that when there was no one else around."

Ashley reached out and took Andros' hand gently, willing him not to die.

"He talked to me," she said. "After they left. And it was, I don't know, but it was like I was seeing it all."

Zhane sighed. "I think you two share a telepathic link."

"A what?" Ashley said. "I'm not telepathic."

"You sure?"

Ashley jumped. "How'd you do that?"

"You're telepathic," Zhane informed her. "If you weren't you shouldn't have heard me."

"How can we be linked?" Ashley asked. "Andros doesn't even like me that much."

"But you like him," Zhane said softly. "And you care for him, as more than just a friend."

Ashley slowly nodded. "How can you tell?"

"It's three in the morning," Zhane said. "You said he treated the others better than he did you, but they're not here right now."

"If we're linked, then why did he ignore me?" Ashley wanted to know.

"That's probably my fault," Zhane said, grinning slightly. "Telepaths can sense each other. The closer they are, the stronger the link, and when one vanishes suddenly, well, it hurts."

His smile faded as he added, "And Andros has obviously been hurt enough."

"If - When he wakes up," Ashley said, trying not to think about the first word she'd said, "Do you think he'd let me in?"

Zhane nodded.

"I think he cares for you too," he said. "That's why he's avoided you. If he hates you, it won't hurt to lose you. But he can only tell himself that for so long."

Ashley yawned and nodded. Zhane pointed to the other bed.

"Sleep," he said. "I'll wake you up if anything changes."

Ashley nodded. She climbed onto the bed, and Zhane tossed her a blanket.

"Thank you," she murmured sleepily.

"Good night," Zhane replied.

It took Ashley a long time to fall asleep, but finally Zhane was left watching over the red and yellow rangers. He couldn't help but notice that Andros looked completely at peace while Ashley was sleeping fitfully.