Summary: Five years after a broken engagement, Andros visits Tommy and his new team. What he finds there, he couldn't even imagine in his wildest dreams.
Phantom Rogue: Um, I installed an automatic shut down if anyone but me orders those Megazords around. So, sorry, but they can't be stolen and then used against me. Uh, have fun reading?
Juzblue: Nope, no coming out of the rubble scene. Just read and be amazed.
Mz. Daydream: Well, I sorta killed them? Yeah, Tommy and Kim got back together now it's up to others to follow their example, or set on for them. :P
Arwennicole: Wow, another Astro Blaster pointed at my head to blow out my brains if this chapter isn't satisfactory! COOL!
Serenitylovegod: Yeah, Tommy's being really nice. But… Read and find out what he did wrong.
Jessica01: Yes they can. They didn't go back because they couldn't think because of the shock?
The real vampire: Bad new? Anything us little people on the net can do? Hope this chapter cheers you up a little.
JDPhoenix: Yeah, we're evil and we've unconsciously planned this with our A/A-psychicness yes. You stared at the screen for 5 whole minutes? Wow. It's your birthday today right? Then you should check the bottom of this chapter really soon. :P
C.C.C.: runs for her life, before skidding to a sudden halt. Wait, if I run for my life I can't give you that promised happy ending, but isn't being together in the afterlife a happy ending?
Jenny: Okay, interesting review. Is it good I didn't wait for that? I think I was just about to crash when you hit that submit button. Don't cry and don't taunt, but if you need to taunt the other readers, taunt them about having beta-read Chapter 22 already.
Gear's Girl: Yeah, our right. I'm not that crazy.
BrainWave: Glad you like my story. Ashleah is a spelling variation of Ashley. :P
Not Always The End
Chapter 20
"I can't believe it ended like this." Cassie sighed through her silently streaming tears. "After all they've had to go through… this happens just when they've found each other."
TJ pulled her onto his lap and let her cry, her tears falling onto him, each one a slow knife of pain for them all. Carlos stood quietly looking at both crying married couples, the reality of the situation still trying to sink in. Ashley, his friend, teammate and fellow ranger had been… everything. She had been everything to them all, anything to anyone, and had gone through everything; raped, pregnancy, a daughter, and now lay dead under a collapsed building with that child and her love. It just wasn't fair.
"I-I remember that night." Cassie cried. "She was running late and I was getting worried. I was about to call her when she called me, telling me she wasn't feeling too well and decided to stay home. I should've known something was up then!"
"It's not your fault, Cass." TJ assured her gently. "We all noticed she was starting to act strange, but we thought it was because Andros was on KO-35. None of us understood something was wrong until Andros returned."
"Why didn't she tell us?" Cassie sobbed.
"We might never know." Zhane whispered.
"What do we do now?" Carlos questioned softly, hating to say it, but someone had to.
"I don't know." Zhane admitted.
"A memorial service?" TJ suggested warily.
Suddenly a sound from the tunnel leading to the forest caught their attention. They all stiffened and looked at the entrance. Both Cassie and Karone screamed when they saw who walked in - or rather, stumbled in.
"You're dead!" Zhane told him, eyes wide, backing away warily.
"Just as dead as you were." The red ranger coughed weakly. "Thank god a morphed ranger can take more than that. Now would you please help me out here?"
Zhane quickly rushed over and picked the little girl off of Ashley's still form that was wrapped in Andros's arms. The sound of feet pounding down the stairs could be heard as Andros carefully eased Ashley on a cot that was placed in the lab, before demorphing.
"Andros… You're alive." Tommy exclaimed breathlessly when he reached the bottom of the stairs.
"You don't have to sound disappointed." Andros replied, not taking his eyes of Ashley.
"You gave us all quite a scare." TJ told him.
"Yeah, well one advice. Don't be in a building while it collapses, it's not fun." Andros told him.
Karone watched her brother intently and noticed something was wrong with the way he was standing.
"Take off your shirt." She ordered him.
"What?" Andros spun around and Karone saw him wince.
"Take off your shirt." She repeated in a no-nonsense voice.
Andros looked around the room and sighed before obeying. It was painfully obvious Andros was trying not to scream and he slowly pulled his shirt over his head. Zhane's strangled gasp was enough to tell Karone she had been right.
Karone tentatively walked over to him and let her hands force him to turn around. The sight wasn't pretty. Andros's whole back was starting to turn a nasty shade of purple, at some point it was so dark it looked black.
"Oh Andros." She sighed.
"It's nothing, Karone. I swear." Andros replied.
Whatever Karone or anyone else was about to say was interrupted when Ashley groaned. Andros ignored everyone and dropped down next to her, brushing some hairs out her face. Tommy motioned for everyone to go back upstairs. Understanding Tommy's silent hint, everyone climbed back up the stairs. Zhane, still holding Jenny, decided to take the girl with him. She was getting heavy and since Ashley lay on the only cot in the basement, he'd have to find some other place to set her down.
Just as the last person disappeared up the stairs, Ashley's eyes started to flutter open.
"Andros?" She moaned when she saw him.
"Yeah, don't worry, everything will be alright." Andros coaxed.
Ashley shivered and Andros quickly sat down on the edge of the cot, helping her into a sitting position and pulling her into a hug. At first the hug was awkward, but soon she relaxed in the warm embrace. It didn't take long as her mind reminded her of his life without her and she pushed him away.
"Andros, I can't… you… her… your family." Ashley told him despairingly, a tear running down her cheek.
"What family?" Andros asked confused.
"I understand you moved on. I'd-I'd like to meet them." Ashley continued.
She was shocked to hear Andros burst into laughter at that.
"The only family I've got is Karone's." Andros told her gently. "I could never forget you."
"Oh… Andros, I… I'm so sorry." Ashley told him, wet droplets streaming down her cheeks.
Andros wrapped his arms back around her and held her tightly until she calmed down again. When she did, she pulled back again.
"Your shirt." She noticed.
"Karone made me take it of, my back's slightly brushed from having a building fall on it." Andros replied, fishing his shirt from the ground and pulling it back on.
"Where's Jenny?" Ashley asked suddenly, fear gripping her heart as she looked around the room.
"Zhane took her upstairs. She was out too." Andros reassured her, a secretive smile starting to play on his lips. "Come on, you got to meet your goddaughter and the next evil overlord."
"Goddaughter? Evil overlord?" Ashley asked confused.
"You'll see." Andros grinned, leading her upstairs.
When Ashley spotted her friends in the living room, she suddenly became shy, staring at the ground in embarrassment.
"Ashley!" She heard Cassie shriek in delight and was soon wrapped up in her best friend's hug.
"You- you're alive! You're safe. You… you… OH MY GOD, I CAN'T BELIEVE IT! … Oh… don't you ever pull something like that again! You can't believe how… how… worried doesn't even begin to describe it! But Ashley." She added, pulling back slightly to stare into her friend's eyes. "We're your friends. We'll always be there for you, no matter what. So next time… Well, next time just talk to us."
"Let's hope there won't be a next time." Ashley muttered a little tearfully.
"Of course, sorry, my mistake." Cassie replied, still ever cheerful. "Come on, there's two someone's you should meet."
Ashley was pulled to a corner of the room by Cassie where two small children were playing, their backs turned to the grownups. The boy had bleach blond short hair that lay messily on his head. The girl had black hair that hang halfway down to her shoulders, she had a light coloured skin.
"Leah, Zey." Cassie said, catching the children's attention. "This is your aunt Ashley."
Leah looked at Ashley for a moment before reaching out to Cassie.
"Up." She demanded, her eyes turning watery.
"Shy?" Cassie smiled sweetly, picking her daughter up.
"Are you the aunt Ashley uncle Andros loves?" Zey suddenly demanded.
Ashley's head shot in Andros's direction, but Andros was suddenly very interested in a spot on the ceiling.
"Zey!" Zhane cursed his son, rushing over and picking the boy up and turning to Ashley. "Sorry, Ash. Zey's just blabbing, hehe…"
Ashley smiled and looked at the boy.
"That's okay… he's just like his dad – but god help us if he has the same personality."
Laughter rang through the room. TJ walked over to Cassie and wrapped his arm around her waist and Zhane handed Zey to Karone when the boy wouldn't stay still. Ashley looked around at her friends and sighed.
"I guess I missed out on a lot." She mumbled sadly.
"Well get you back up to date." TJ assure. "But only on one condition..."
"What?" Ashley asked, confused.
"You'll be Ashleah's godmother." Cassie told her with a smile.
Ashley nodded and Andros's words suddenly click and she glanced over at Zey. Just wanting to say something about the 'evil overlord' comment, the sound of small feet pounding down the stairs reached her ears.
"MOMMY!" An all too familiar voice screamed and soon Ashley had Jenny wrapped up in her arms.
As Ashley held her pride and joy, looking around at her haven, she knew everything would somehow be all right.
A/N: Hope you liked it. You didn't really think I'd kill an innocent child or her mother, now would you?
Listen up everyone: If I got it correctly it's JDPhoenix's birthday (20th September). Now you all be nice and leave a birthday wish. This chapter is dedicated to JDPhoenix as a birthday present from me to you.