Disclaimer: Not mine

Ashley Hammond/Astro Yellow: Of course Andros is sweet. He's hopelessly in love. :P If you get the Megazords, then I get Andros and Ashley. Ha!

Juzblue: Thanks. I updated soon too!

Mz. Daydream: Thanks. As much as I love having Andros save Ashley, I thought that was something Ashley needed to do on her own. One of the things I keep having trouble with in this story is having to make Ashley strong enough to take down Arrow one moment, but still have it convincing when she's crying on Andros's shoulder the next moment. You'll see what they decide to do in this chapter, but what actually happens might be drastically different.

JDPhoenix: Thanks. Here's more, and I promise I'm going to update tomorrow too.

C.C.C: Thanks. I hate Andros's parents, too. If I can work them in, they'll show up, but don't count on anything.

RisingGundam2003: It will be painful, but no wedding, sorry.

Chapter 20

"Kill him," Alana said instantly. "There's no other way."

"We don't do that," TJ informed her. "As much as we might want to."

"I am going to rip him apart," Andros growled, the arm he had around Ashley's shoulders pulling her closer to him. "I don't care if it's what we do or not."

"But I do," Ashley told him.

"But Ash-" Andros started to protest. He stopped and sighed. Ashley was right, and no matter how much he would have liked to tear Arrow limb from limb for raping her, he couldn't.

"The Karovans would still try him," Zhane said. "I know they would."

"He doesn't deserve that much," Andros muttered, and sighed. "Fine."

"That's it?" Alana shouted. "The Karovans try him? Can't you think of something better than that?"

"Alana-"

"Shut up, Blaze," Alana snapped, glaring at Andros. "What's wrong with you? You spent every day back in the other dimension swearing that you were going to make him die slowly and painfully, and now you're just going to give him a nice little trial?"

"We don't kill like that," Andros said reluctantly.

Alana looked at him in disgust before rounding on Ashley. "And you! How can you not want to kill him? After what he did to you? How many times did he come for you? And you still won't kill him! He was right, you are weak!"

"Enough," Andros snapped, his eyes growing cold as he met Alana's glare. His voice was even colder, and a dead silence fell instantly. "You have no right to speak to her that way. You are not the one making this decision. We can't always do what we want, Alana. No matter how much I want to tear that monster apart, I can't."

"I can," Alana snapped back, glaring at him. "I'm not going to let him die a nice, peaceful death. He deserves something slow and painful."

"I agree," Carlos said.

"Shut up," Ashley cried, looking as though she was about to slap them both. "He's going to be tried by the Karovans."

"Don't you want him to suffer?" Carlos pressed.

Ashley hesitated. "Yes," she admitted in a whisper. "I want him to suffer. I want to hurt him worse than he hurt me, but if you handed me a blaster, I wouldn't be strong enough to do it."

"It's all right, Ash," Andros murmured, wrapping his other arm around her as well, holding her close as she struggled not to cry. "It's all right."

"You're all weak," Alana snarled and stalked off. Blaze followed her a moment later, shooting an apologetic look at them over his shoulder.

TJ exhaled slowly, shaking his head. "Are you all right, Ash?"

"I'm fine," Ashley said shakily, refusing to meet anyone's eyes but Andros's.

"Why are you lying to us?" Carlos demanded. "We're your friends, Ash!"

"Carlos, cool it," Cassie ordered. "What's wrong with you?"

"I told you months ago," Carlos shouted. "I told you he'd hurt her! He doesn't deserve her!"

"That's not for you to decide," Ashley said. Her voice was cool but still shaking. "Carlos, I love Andros. He's not supposed to be my bodyguard. He's just supposed to love me... and he does."

"Why do you forgive him for everything?" Carlos demanded. "You were raped because of him! You almost died because of him! Look at your face!"

Ashley stared at him as though he'd slapped her, and Andros glared at the black ranger. A moment later, he shifted his gaze to Ashley, touching her cheek gently with one hand. "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine," Ashley whispered, pain evident in her eyes. Andros kissed her forehead gently before he turned to Carlos, his eyes hardening. The black ranger met his eyes defiantly before storming away.

"It's all right, Ash," Andros whispered in her ear as her shoulders started shaking. "It's all right... do you want to go to your room?"

Ashley nodded her head, holding back her tears just long enough to leave the room. Andros guided her onto the Megalift as her eyes overflowed, and stood holding her until her breath had stopped coming in gasps between bouts of tears. As soon as she was in her room, Ashley sank down onto her bed, burying her face in the pillow as Andros lay down next to her, his arms encircling her protectively.

"I thought he was my friend," Ashley whispered through her tears. "Why'd he have to do that?"

"I don't know, Ash," Andros said, sighing heavily, resisting the temptation to say more. "Do you want to talk?"

"Not about Carlos," Ashley muttered. "He'll come apologize as soon as you're not around." She paused. "Andros? What's going to happen to Arrow?"

"The Karovans will find him guilty," Andros assured her. "They'll just pick up where this left off four years ago."

"Will they kill him?" Ashley asked anxiously.

"Probably," Andros told her. "They can't risk him getting away again."

"He can't get out, can he?" Ashley asked.

"Not unless someone lets him out," Andros said, his eyes darkening. "And that's not happening." He paused, a smile creeping across his face as he stared fondly at Ashley. "Ash... you're the reason we got him."

"I am?" Ashley asked uncertainly.

Andros nodded, his thumb tracing an unseen pattern across her face. "I told you you were strong enough," he told her. "I just had no idea how strong."

"Neither did I," Ashley whispered. "I was so scared of him."

"I know you were," Andros said gently, brushing his lips over hers. "So was I."

"What were you scared for?" Ashley asked, tilting her head back to look into his eyes.

"You wouldn't move," Andros said softly. "He was walking towards you and you were just standing there. I don't think I've ever been more scared in my life, Ash. I was sure that he was going to take you away from me again."

"He tried to," Ashley whispered. "He told me that he'd let me live if I went back to him and stayed there for the rest of my life."

Andros felt sick at the thought of Arrow ever laying a hand on her again. "I love you so much, Ashley," he whispered.

"I love you too," Ashley whispered, curling up in his arms for several minutes.

"Feel any better?" Andros asked finally, half hoping that she'd say no. He would be perfectly content staying here with her all day, but they had business to take care of.

"Yeah," Ashley whispered. "Thanks."

Andros climbed out of bed with Ashley still in his arms, reluctant to let go of her, even to set her down on the floor, but eventually he had to. "Deca, are the others still around the containment cells?"

"Affirmative," Deca replied.

"Come on, Ash," Andros said, slipping his hand through hers. "Let's go take care of the footsoldiers."

He gave her a small smile as he led her out of the room, silently telling her that everything was going to be okay again soon. Ashley tightened the hold she had on his hand, her heart feeling lighter than it had in a long time.