Disclaimer: Not mine

Ashley Hammond/Astro Yellow: Do you really think I'd kill them? No, don't answer that question. :P Duct tape solves everythng. You could tape his ears shut so he wouldn't be able to hear the music. Or you could duct tape down the volume changer dial thingy. Have you tried duct tape:P

Arwennicole: Everything will turn out okay, more or less. You'll see about Ashley's parents later. :P

Jenny: Sorry, the o looks like the 0 when I'm tired. :P And no, I'm not going to rewrite this again. I've got other stories that are sick and twisted and fun, so I'll go write those. And Ashley didn't drown. Yet. You think the smilies at the end look freaky? Okay, you don't get one then.

the-power-of-love: Thanks, sorry it took me so long, but here's more. :P

DizneeDol: I hate not getting online too. Here's some more, sorry for the long wait. :P

Melissa: It's okay, I couldn't get online for so long it doesn't matter. :P

Sreym: Thanks. I love torturing Andros and Ashley. Sorry it took me so long, but there's more torture in here, sort of. :P

Chapter 11

Ashley jumped every time she heard a thunderclap, imagining the Psychos storming their shelter, blasters firing. She shuddered every time she saw the flash of lighting, thinking that she could see them coming for her and Andros and their baby.

Andros was still asleep, his head pillowed on her lap, and she clung to his right hand with both of hers, finding some comfort there, but not much. She wished he'd wake up, but couldn't bring herself to wake him just because she was scared. With one hand, she touched his face gently, growing more and more uneasy as she felt how cold he was.

Ashley sighed. It was just cold out, she told herself. Andros hadn't died. He was just cold.

"Andros," she whispered, rubbing his right hand between both of hers, trying to warm him up. She didn't touch his left hand, seeing the painful burns that covered it.

He stirred slightly, and Ashley dropped his hand guiltily. "Ash?"

"Go back to sleep," she told him. "I'm sorry I woke you up."

"You didn't," Andros told her, reaching for her hand again. Ashley sighed with relief as she felt his fingers curling around hers, and she relaxed a little. "How long have I been asleep?"

"I don't know," Ashley said. It had felt like an eternity. "A few hours, I guess. Zhane and Karone should be here soon."

"Soon," Andros repeated, almost letting himself believe it. "Ash, you're hurting me."

"Sorry," Ashley exclaimed, loosening her grip on his hand, wincing as she felt the deep crescent shaped grooves her fingernails had made. "I'm so sorry, Andros."

"Ash, it's all right," Andros said, squeezing her hand. "It doesn't hurt that much."

"But you've been hurt enough," Ashley said quietly. Andros glanced up at her, not surprised when he saw the tears glittering in her eyes.

"Ash," he whispered, trying to sit up. Ashley shook her head, and gently pushed him back down.

"I'll be all right," she choked out. "I...I just... everyday that you were gone, I was wondering if I'd ever see you again, and when I felt what they were doing, I was so scared that by the time I found you, you'd be dead."

Ashley blinked furiously, trying to stem the flow of tears. She had to keep herself together. They weren't safe yet, and she wouldn't be doing Andros any favors by breaking down.

"It's all right, Ash," Andros said, kissing her fingers gently. He closed his eyes again, the constant flash of the lightning making his head spin. "I'll be okay. We'll all be okay."

"I know," Ashley whispered. "I'm just scared."

Now more than ever, Andros wished that he had the strength to sit up and hold her in his arms. Ashley was never scared; Ashley never lost hope. He knew that she was trying to figure out how to protect both him and their child, and he cursed himself yet again for not hearing the bounty hunters coming up behind him. If he'd just been a little more alert, none of this would have happened.

Ashley's nails suddenly dug into his hand again, and his eyes flew open. He already knew what he was going to see, but it didn't make seeing it much easier. Standing in the mouth of the cave was Sol, and he was flanked on each side by a Psycho Ranger.

"You killed Arcanus with one of your shots, Yellow Ranger," he said calmly. "He was the only one capable of bringing back my son."

The Psychos were in front of them in a flash, tossing Andros carelessly aside as they hauled Ashley to her feet. She struggled as Sol approached, but couldn't quite pull herself free.

"You took my child, Red Ranger," Sol said. "Now I take yours, and the mother as well."

Andros struggled to stand, bracing himself against the cave wall. "Kill me," he begged, staggering a few steps forward. "Not her."

Sol gave a vindictive laugh. The Psychos held Ashley's arms, and she had nothing else with which to protect her stomach. Her mouth opened in a scream when Sol drove his fist into her abdomen, but no sound came out; the wind had been knocked out of her.

Psycho Red appeared at Andros' side as Sol stepped behind Ashley, holding him fast as he struggled in vain to free himself. Sol laughed again, his hands closing over Ashley's throat, making sure that Andros could see her face clearly. Ashley hadn't had time to recover from Sol's attack, and there was no air in her lungs.

"Ashley," Andros shouted, feeling his lungs burning as Ashley's must have been. "Ash!"

"I'm sorry, Andros."

Ashley's face had gone from white to red, and was now turning purple much too quickly for her to survive much longer. Andros wanted to close his eyes, wanted to look away, but he couldn't bring himself to.

"She won't last much longer, Red Ranger," Sol said triumphantly. "I've had my revenge."

"No," Andros shouted furiously, tears streaming down his face. "Please, don't do this to her."

Sol suddenly released Ashley, and shoved her to the ground with such speed that Andros almost didn't see it happen. He stared fearfully at Ashley, willing her to breathe.

"Ash?"

"Andros," he heard Ashley say faintly.

His relief was short lived, as Sol stepped up to Andros, a cruel grin splitting his face. "I've thought of a better revenge, Red Ranger."

Andros remained silent, feeling his heart pounding with fear. Sol laughed softly, the sound clawing its way to the depths of Andros' soul, latching itself onto something there. Andros stared at Sol, his heart racing. Whatever came next would be far worse than anything he'd gone through so far.

"Kill her."

The words came not from Sol's mouth, but from his mind, but the sound filled the cave nonetheless, and to his horror, Andros found himself falling to the ground beside Ashley.

"Andros?" she asked weakly. "What-"

Her words ended in a strangled gasp as Andros felt himself grab her around the neck. Andros saw her eyes widen in terror as his hands slowly crushed her windpipe. Her hands fastened themselves around his wrists as she tried to fight him off, but she was already weakened. Fortunately, he was as well, and it would take him much longer to kill her, giving her some time.

"Do something," Andros begged her silently. "Ash, kill me if you have to. Don't let me kill you. Don't let me kill out baby."

Ashley's hands slipped off his wrists. Dimly, Andros realized that they would never kill him now. They would keep him alive, forcing him to live with himself, and the knowledge of what he had done to the woman that he loved and his unborn child.

"Ash?" he shouted, feeling her growing weaker and weaker. "Ash!"

There was no reply.