Disclaimer: Not mine

Ashley Hammond/Astro Yellow: Yeah, Karone's going to need to get her magic working again... and I love the idea for Zoe and Wyatt. I'll have some fun with that. :P

Juzblue: I actually did update soon! Yay! : )

Piper xox Leo: I love making fun of Zhane. The only thing more fun than that is calling Andros an idiot. I do both a lot. : )

Melissa: lol :P

Jenny: Yay, random babbling! Enni might be weak and stupid, but that doesn't mean she won't make herself useful at a critical point in the plot. :P

Chapter 7: Sleepless

The horror met him the instant he stepped inside the house. Nothing had been touched, but the utter stillness complete silence were enough to tell him that it was too late, that they were already dead.

His sister was the only one in the room, lying as she had fallen. Trembling, he reached out and touched her face. Her glazed blue eyes stared up at him, asking him silently the question that her voice never would. "Why?"

Dreading what he would find, he stood, and slowly made his way to the next room, a cry escaping his lips as the grisly sight met his eyes. In one corner of the room were the bodies of his two nieces, Zora and Roxana, tossed there carelessly after they were killed. Just inside the doorway was his brother-in-law.

Their father had died after them, he could see it in his face. He had heard the noise maybe, and stepped into the room, and seen -

He stopped, shuddering. It was too much to try to imagine his friend's last moments. There was nothing he felt like doing more than lie down and cry, but a single fear penetrated through the daze he was in. His own children had been in the house.

In his heart already knowing what he would find, he crept up the stairs slowly, steeling himself for what he knew what he would see, desperately wishing that there was some way that he could be wrong.

He saw Wyatt first, his small body lying motionlessly on the landing. One glance told him that his son was dead. No one could lose that much blood and live. He sank to his knees, jumping back up as he heard something. Running up the stairs, he steeled himself to face whatever had killed his family, but instead he saw only Zoe.

Miraculously, his daughter was still alive, but even as he lifted her small body into his arms, he knew that there was no hope for her. "It's all right," he whispered, the need to protect her growing ever stronger as she faded away. "Daddy's here now."

"Daddy," Zoe said weakly, her hazel eyes already dull.

He closed his eyes and swallowed hard before saying, "Go to sleep now, angel. Everything will be all right when you wake up, I promise. Mommy will be there with you."

Zoe didn't answer, her eyes already closed for the last time. Completely devastated, he clutched her still body in his arms, wanting nothing more than to die. They were the lucky ones, he thought. Wherever they were, they were together. He was the last one, alone as he once had been.

"KILL ME!" he shouted suddenly. "I know you're here. Kill me, please," he sobbed, knowing that there was nothing left in the world for him now.

Andros sat up, his heart pounding as he slowly realized that it was just another nightmare. If this was going to become a regular happening, he was going to go crazy. He couldn't keep imagining the deaths of those he loved without some terrible side effect.

Ashley stirred as he climbed over her to get out of bed. "Where are you going?" she muttered sleepily.

"I'm getting something to drink," he whispered. "Do you want anything?"

Ashley's head shook a fraction of an inch, but her eyes remained closed. Andros kissed her gently, before making his way as silently as he could to the crib in the corner of the room where their children were sleeping. "I love you," he whispered, touching their hands gently, not wanting to wake them. Quietly, he stole out of the room, wandering aimlessly for several minutes, the images he had seen fading quickly, but not the emotions they had triggered.

He found himself in the holding bay, and figured that he might as well get something to drink; his throat was painfully dry. He realized that it was a mistake, however, when he entered to see Zhane and Karone sitting together, talking. They both gave him strange looks as he stared at them, pale faced.

"What's wrong?" Karone demanded. "You look like you've seen a -"

"Don't say it," Andros said before she could finish. "Don't say it."

"You look like hell, then," Zhane said. Karone slapped at him.

"What's wrong?" she repeated.

"Nothing," Andros said, punching the buttons on the Synthetron. He made a face at the glass in his hand. He really should have ordered something much stronger than water. Something with a sedative, probably. "I'm fine. What are you two doing up?"

"We couldn't sleep," Karone said. "So we're planning our wedding."

"Oh," Andros said, unable to stand seeing them so happy. "I'm going back to bed. Have fun."

"That was definately weird," Zhane remarked as Andros walked away. "He didn't even threaten me."

Karone smacked him playfully. "You know he's fine with it."

"That never stopped him before," Zhane pointed out. "And I'm nice."

The wounded tone he used to say the last part sent Karone into giggles. "What?" she asked innocently, the word barely distinguishable. She took a deep breath. "Sorry. Okay, where were we?"

Zhane leaned across the table to kiss her with exaggerated passion, sending her into helpless laughter once again. "That's not what I meant," she protested when they broke apart. Zhane shrugged and kissed her again. They pulled apart at the sound of a throat being cleared loudly.

"Is everyone awake?" Zhane asked.

"You can't really expect that anyone's going to sleep after our first battle," Aria said. "Some of us never did to begin with."

"So I think I'm tired now," Zhane said, with a huge yawn. "Karone?"

His fiance rolled her eyes at him, while Aria regarded them with a highly amused expression. "You two go have fun," she said, walking to the Synthetron. "I won't tell Andros."

She turned to find that she was speaking to an empty room. She shook her head and grinned. "Deca, are Gabriel and Justin still using the viewing screen to play video games?"

"Affirmative," Deca said, her tone highly disapproving. "Will you be joining them?"

"Don't worry, Deca," Aria assured the AI. "Tell them to get out. I've got work to do."

"I have informed them," Deca said, sounding considerably more content. "Will you be needing my assistance?"

"Maybe later," Aria said, downing the last of her drink. She turned and headed for the bridge. Halfway there, she ran straight into someone.

"Andros, what are you doing?" she demanded. "Trying to kill me?"

"Sorry," he muttered. Aria rolled her eyes.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Andros found himself saying for the second time that night. "Nothing at all. I just couldn't sleep."

"Uh-huh," Aria said skeptically. "Seriously, you don't look too good."

"I'll be fine," Andros said, just a hint of annoyance to his voice. "I just had a dream."

"You've been having nightmares?" Aria's eyes narrowed at her brother.

"It's nothing," Andros said. "I used to have them all the time."

"What happens?" Aria asked.

"Ashley's dead," Andros admitted after a moment. "Zoe and Wyatt, too. Zhane, Karone, their children - "

"Their children?" Aria repeated, looking slightly alarmed. Andros nodded. "Wait here," Aria said, taking off down the corridor again. She reappeared a few minutes later, a cup in hand. "Wait until you get to your room to drink it," she warned.

"Aria, I don't need - " he began, but she cut him off.

"Drink," she ordered. "I don't want my red ranger falling asleep in the middle of battle, got it?"

"I... thanks," he said. "Night, Aria."

"Good night," she echoed. She watched her brother walk away, chewing thoughtfully on her lower lip. "I think I might need your help after all, Deca," she said after a moment, yawning, suddenly very tired.