Anymore
I wrote this fic as part of the psycho rangers timeline, it was such a good episode but I thought it needed some more drama. Some of the dialogue is directly from their episodes, which I don't own. I did omit some parts in the interest of keeping it interesting and focused.
"No, Ashley! NO!" Cassie's screams echoed through the courtyard as the yellow ranger disappeared into the pavement. Cassie pounded her fists in anger as she watched her best friend slip out of reach. "I'll find you." She promised desperately, oblivious to the battle raging around her or the fact that the three male rangers stood in front of her protectively.
"Ashley, I'm so sorry." The pink ranger admitted as flashbacks of the last few days and the fights raced through her head. All those horrible things I said to you. And now you're gone. It's all my fault." She confessed miserably.
"Let's get out of here." TJ decided solemnly, taking over leadership for the distraught Andros. "What about Ashley?" Cassie demanded, angry at her teammate's lack of concern for their friend.
"We can't help Ashley here." TJ explained to her as he pulled her to her feet. "Deca, four to teleport." The blue ranger announced over his communicator. Suddenly the four disappeared in their respective streams of colored lights.
Andros was in shock. 'How could this happen?' he wondered in dismay. 'Ashley's gone.' His heart struggled to deal with the realization that his mind had already accepted. Though he had seen her disappear with his own eyes, he refused to believe that she was gone forever. No matter what it took, he would get her back.
"We'll get her back." A voice said from behind him, as a hand appeared on his shoulder to comfort him. Andros was surprised to see Carlos standing there. He was very protective of Ashley, and he often wondered if Carlos resented the fact that he and Ashley were dating. Carlos reassured him that he wasn't upset with him; he just wanted Ashley to be happy.
"Why does Ashley want to be with me?" The red ranger said aloud in frustration. Ashley was so beautiful and cheerful, and he was quite the opposite He was venting after sending her away again. She hadn't complained when he said he needed some space, but he could see the confusion and the hurt on her face when it became evident that he didn't trust her completely yet. He hadn't realized that Carlos had entered the room.
"You make her happy." Carlos confided to him one day a few weeks ago. "She trusts you Andros." The black ranger said to him as the two had a rare moment away from the rest of the team, including Ashley.
"Yeah." Andros agreed, taking on some of Ashley's optimism to keep him going despite the horrific circumstances. With a final thought for Ashley, he quickly turned his mind to finding a way to get her back.
Ashley landed with a hard thud on the cold floor of the cell. "Time to finish the brain drain." The yellow psycho ranger taunted her as she approached the helpless yellow ranger.
"Not if I can help it." Ashley shouted in determination as she put up her locked hands to defend herself. "With those cuffs on, you're no match for me." The psycho ranger replied smugly as she increased her effort.
'She's right.' Ashley thought sadly, desperately looking for a way out. Fortunately, the arrival of the pissed off psycho pink interrupted psycho yellow's plan. As the two psychos battled each other, Ashley seized her opportunity to escape as she threw herself out the window, trusting her instincts to protect her as she hurtled towards the ground.
"I've got to find a way out of here." Ashley urged herself as she ran through the labyrinth of the warehouse district. She was getting out of breath, and she wasn't sure she had the energy to do battle with the psychos again. Despite the protection of her suit, she knew she was pushing the limits of what it could do. If she didn't get away soon, she knew she was in real trouble.
She ducked into an abandoned warehouse, hoping to catch her breath. "I know you're in here somewhere." Psycho yellow called out from her vantage point on the catwalk. Ashley held her breath as psycho yellow appeared before her. 'Got to be a way out.' Ashley thought frantically.
"Quit your running. It'll all be over soon." Psycho yellow challenged as she stepped closer to Ashley. Before she got close enough to finish draining her powers, the pink psycho ranger returned to continue their battle.
The intrusion gave Ashley a quick moment to make a plan. Glancing about, she hurdled over the cans of dangerous materials. "Listen up, you psychos! I'll never give in to you. NEVER!" She shouted as she hid, taking the risk that she could survive the inevitable explosion. Even if she didn't, it was better than the alternative of being defeated by the psycho rangers. She didn't have time to consider the consequences of her actions. Despite her feelings for Andros and her friends, she was first most a ranger and her obligation was to that duty. She was trained not to give in, no matter what. And she wouldn't now, despite how her heart was begging her to.
They reacted predictably, shooting at the barrels causing a large explosion to severely damage the warehouse and invariably the yellow ranger, much to the psychos delight. It hadn't' been their intention, but it was a very effective Plan B.
"Goodbye yellow ranger." Psycho yellow cheered as she watched her arch enemy go up in smoke.
"Andros!" was the last word out of Ashley's mouth as the flames forced her back into the wall as the smoke overwhelmed her. Dazed and desperate, she forced herself to her feet and out the door before there was more damage.
She forced the fresh air into her lungs, hoping to maintain enough strength to finally get away. "I've got to get rid of these cuffs." She muttered as she continued to flee from the burning warehouse. "Why can't they find me?" Ashley complained as she slowly losing optimism about winning this fight.
"Why can't we find her?" Andros fumed as he anxiously paced the bridge. It had been hours since she had disappeared and they were still no closer to finding her. If they didn't, well he couldn't dwell on what would happen if he didn't have Ashley. IT was not a pleasant thought, and he couldn't afford to be distracted when she needed him.
The other rangers allowed his anger, knowing that he was worried about their yellow ranger.
"I can't find her power signature anywhere." TJ declared grimly, trying not to fear the worst.
"If we can't find Ashley, let's find the psycho rangers." Cassie decided logically. "Great plan Cass." TJ offered as he commanded Deca to search for their newest enemies.
"Downtown." Deca replied suddenly. "By the old library." The computer concluded after the scan was completed. Cassie took off running for the gliding tubes, a feeling deep in her gut that Ashley needed her help urgently with the male rangers not too far behind.
She was so preoccupied with survival, she didn't anticipate another attack as the pink psycho ranger crept up on Ashley and launched her into the air landing in the vacant field by the old library.
"This is so getting old." She mumbled as she struggled to defend herself from the psycho ranger when the pink psycho fell to the ground.
"Ashley! Grab on!" Cassie shouted as she flew down and picked up the yellow ranger on her galaxy glider. Landing a few feet away, Cassie embraced her best friend.
"Are you okay?" She asked in concern. "Yeah, thanks to you." Ashley acknowledged gratefully. "I was so worried." The pink ranger affirmed affectionately.
"Let's destroy that psycho!" Ashley declared vehemently. "Right on." Cassie agreed as the two female rangers charged towards their enemy. Dodging the shots she fired, Ashley and Cassie destroyed her with a combination of their weapons and talents.
"Well done girls." TJ praised the pair for destroying the pink psycho ranger. Carlos and Zhane joined in the celebration. Andros scanned the scene for any other evidence of psychos. Ashley didn't notice the activity around her as she became dizzy and the world spun around her, as the events of the day caught up with her. She was relieved when Andros finally declared it was time to go back to the mega ship.
Not a moment after they returned to the mega ship, Ashley's suit began to glow as she reached for the nearest console for support.
"Ash?" Cassie called out to her best friend worried. The yellow suit began to flash which started to worry the other rangers.
"Deca?" Andros inquired, concerned for Ashley's well being. The two hadn't been dating for a long time, but long enough for Andros to realize how much he cared for the yellow ranger.
"Her power levels are below minimal." Deca declared urgently as her vital signs flashed across the scene in warning.
"Which explains why we couldn't trace it." Carlos observed quietly, wishing there was something he could do for her.
"She needs to power down." Deca directed the red ranger who immediately obeyed. As her yellow suit disappeared, so did the last of her energy as she collapsed into Andros's arms.
"Oh my god." The shocking comment came out of the silver ranger's mouth without thinking. He couldn't believe her appearance.
Her gray flight suit did little to hide the bruises and burns on her face and arms. They all wondered what had happened when the psycho rangers captured her. Andros hurriedly teleported to the medical bay where TJ connected the yellow ranger to the regenerator as Andros ran the bone scanner over her still form. Andros held his breath as he waited for the results.
Cassie took in the whole scene from the doorway. Guilt ridden by the sight of her best friend lying there motionless. "It's not your fault Cass." Zhane reminded her softly as the others rushed about attending to Ashley's needs.
"I know." She conceded with a sigh. "It just shouldn't have happened. We have to destroy those psychos." She uttered angrily.
"And we will." Zhane promised her. It was a promise he had to make not just for Cassie but the team as well. "She's going to be fine." He reminded her as he went to Andros's side to comfort his best friend.
Cassie couldn't bear to get any closer to her best friend; the sight of her lying so helpless scared her beyond belief. "I hope so." She muttered with little optimism. 'How could one recover from such intense injuries?' she questioned sadly.
Carlos and TJ met the two on their way out and ushered them into the holding bay. "How is she?" Cassie questioned TJ intently, wanting the truth.
"She just needs to rest. When her body's ready she'll wake up." TJ informed her gently. "Her injuries are not severe in and of themselves, but put together they were enough to do some damage."
"I wonder what happened?" Carlos wondered aloud. The other rangers were wondering the same thing as they walked silently to the synthetron.
Andros stood guard over her, just staring at the girl who had invaded his life. Realizing it could be a long wait her settled into the chair next to the bed and grabbed her hand. IT was strange to see Ashley like this. So quiet and still. She was always so vivacious and energetic, she made him feel alive and now here she was fighting to keep her life. No matter how TJ reassured him that she would be fine, it was the first time Andros understood that he could lose her. It was the first time he understood that he loved her. Those hours she had been missing this afternoon it had taken all his will power to concentrate on the rescue effort and not just foolishly chase after her as his heart desperately wanted to.
"I don't know what happened today or how you got through it…" he began as he gently stroked the burns on her face.
"Actually I do know." He amended thoughtfully. "You are so brave Ash. You never step down from a fight. Your concern is always for everyone else. You are the most selfless person I know.
"And it makes me see how selfish I am. See I've known for a long time now that I love you. And yet I haven't told you. And despite it all you still want to be with me. I was so afraid of being hurt that I couldn't tell you I love you. Because even if it hurts, I know now it hurts a thousand, a million times worse to lose you. I love you Ashley and I can't pretend that I don't anymore." He finished quietly as he slumped into the chair and waited for her to wake up.