Disclaimer: If I haven't mentioned that it's mine, then it belongs to Saban or Disney or whoever I said owns the person/place/thing.

Ashley Hammond/Astro Yellow: I know, Tempest is awesome. :P

Juzblue: Maybe. I'm not telling.

Mz. Daydream: I love Tempest too. Their Auntie isn't exactly a traitor. It all depends on how you look at it.

Jenny: Thank you! I now have a title, and you now have a friend. Sorta. You'll have a friend by the end, I promise.

Chapter 10

"Night, you guys," Ashley said to Zhane and Karone as they left. "See you in the morning."

"Night, Ash," Karone said as Zhane yawned, holding Kaden as Zora ran next door ahead of them.

Ashley let out a tired sigh as she closed the door behind Zhane and Karone. They'd had a small celebration, in honor of the rangers first battle, and as a chance for the old rangers to catch up with each other. Of course, with seven adults, seven rangers, and more children than Ashley had managed to count, a small celebration had quickly become a large party, and she was exhausted.

Tempest and Ryan had stayed behind to help clean up, and were in the kitchen throwing away the last of the garbage as she returned.

"Thanks for your help," Ashley said, stifling a yawn.

"No problem," Tempest said. "I wouldn't want to be on the Megaship until all those kids have gone to bed, anyway."

Ashley grinned. "Good point."

"Mommy, I'm not tired!" Jenny cried, flying into the kitchen, a half eaten box of candy in her hands, just seconds ahead of Andros, who was trailed by Marieke, who immediately wrapped her arms around Tempest. "Tell Daddy I'm not tired!"

"Jenny's not tired," Ashley said. She glanced down at her daughter. "How much candy did Uncle Zhane give you?"

"Three boxes full!" Aidan said appearing in the doorway. "And she wouldn't share any of it!"

"I'm going to kill him," Andros muttered.

"No!" Marieke shouted from behind Tempest. "You can't kill Uncle Zhane! We love Uncle Zhane!"

Andros blinked several times before he started shaking with the effort it took to repress his laughter. Ashley turned around, tears leaking out of her eyes as she leaned her head against the cabinets. Aidan laughed outright, causing hurt to spread across his sister's face.

"He was just joking, stupid," he said, rolling his eyes.

"Aidan," Ashley said warningly, her laughter gone. "You don't talk to your sister that way."

"But she's stupid!" Aidan protested.

"Aidan," Andros said sternly. "You don't talk about your sister that way, and you don't talk back to your mother. Apologize."

"Sorry, Mom," Aidan muttered.

"To your sister," Andros said patiently. Aidan glared at him as he stared back calmly.

"I'm sorry!" he shouted in her face. Marieke burst into tears as Jenny kicked Aidan in the ankle. "Ow!"

"Jenny, no kicking," Ashley said wearily, pulling her daughter away from Aidan as she continued to kick him. Tempest lifted Marieke into her arms as she continued to cry.

"Do you want me to read you a bedtime story?" she offered. Marieke nodded eagerly.

"Right now?" she asked. Tempest nodded.

"Come on."

"Thank you," Ashley whispered gratefully. Tempest smiled, and nodded, and Ashley turned back to the twin she was still having to hold back from attacking her brother. "Jenny..."

"He made Marieke cry!" Jenny protested. "Why do I get in trouble?"

"You know you're not supposed to kick anyone," Ashley said tiredly. "Just go to bed now, all right?"

"But I'm not tired," Jenny reminded her. Ashley caught herself just before her temper snapped.

"I'll take her," Ryan offered. "It looks like you two have your hands full."

Jenny let Ryan take her hand, if somewhat reluctantly, and she stuck her tongue out at Aidan on her way out of the door. Ashley sank down at the kitchen table, staring at Aidan.

"I know, I know, I'm supposed to love them," Aidan said. "I'm supposed to be glad that I have them. I'm supposed to go to my room now."

"Yeah," Ashley agreed. "That's pretty much what you're supposed to do. But there's no reason why-"

"I forgot my candy!" Jenny shrieked, running back in and snatching up the box off of the floor.

"Jenny, I don't think you should eat that anymore," Andros said, plucking the box out of her hands.

"But I want my candy!"

"I'll buy you some more in the morning," Ashley promised her. "As long as you go to bed right now."

"Sorry," Ryan said, reappearing. "She's fast, isn't she?"

"Very," Andros agreed, watching Jenny run back out of the room. "It's all right."

"Hey, kid, can I say something to you?" Ryan asked.

"I'm not a kid!" Aidan snapped.

"Can I say something to you?" Ryan asked again.

"Fine," Aidan agreed sullenly.

"I thought maybe you might listen if it comes from someone other than your parents," Ryan said, looking at Ashley for permission to continue. She nodded slightly, and Ryan said, "You might hate them, and they might drive you insane most of the time, but they're still your family, and without them, you wouldn't know what to do."

"You said something like that before," Aidan said, frowing. "What happened to your sister?"

"I don't know," Ryan said, laughing bitterly. "Funny, isn't it? I'd have given anything not to have her, but once she was gone, I'd have given anything to have her back."

"She was just gone?" Aidan asked skeptically.

Ryan shrugged. "I can't remember what happened. I think Auntie didn't want me to remember. I can't see her face in my mind anymore, and I wish I hadn't been able to forget her."

"What was her name?" Aidan asked, sounding less sullen now, and more curious than anything else.

Ryan thought about it for a moment, his brow furrowed. "Sara," he said after a moment. "I think her name was Sara. She was about your sisters's age..." His voice trailed off and a slightly glazed look came over his eyes. "But I remember another one... a baby... I think I remember... I was supposed to take care of her... and I don't remember if I did."

"Ryan," Ashley said softly. "I think you should get some sleep."

Ryan nodded, his eyes clearing. "You're probably right... They can't be much more than dreams by now, anyway... You're all right, kid. I'm only here to stop the Overlords. If you want the morpher, it's not for me to take away from you."

"Really?" Aidan's eyes lit up.

"Go to bed, Aidan," Andros said tiredly. "You've got a lot of growing up to do before you can be a ranger."

"Night, Mom," Aidan said. "Night, Dad."

Ashley let her face fall forwards into her hands as Aidan left the room, her eyes refusing to stay open another moment. She was tempted to fall asleep right there at the table, and probably would have if Andros hadn't appeared at her side, lifting her into his arms and carrying her up the stairs to their room. Ashley smiled slightly as she rested her head against his chest, but had no energy to do more than that.

Her eyes opened slightly as Andros set her down in bed. "Can you get me some pajamas?" she mumbled sleepily. Andros nodded, and a moment later, she felt something cloth being pressed into her hands. It took an almost impossible amount of energy for Ashley to change out of the loose skirt and yellow blouse she was wearing and into one of Andros's old shirts, but once she collapsed back down onto the bed, she was suddenly wide awake.

"Are you all right, Ash?" Andros asked softly, pulling her into his arms as he crawled in beside her. Ashley nodded her head, tears rushing suddenly into her eyes.

"Why do they hate each other?" she whispered. Andros brushed her tears away, letting her bury her face in his shoulder as he tried to comfort her. "Jeff and I never fought this much."

"Shh," he whispered soothingly. "They don't hate each other, Ash. Don't worry, everything's going to be all right."

"You don't think they hate each other?" Ashley looked at him hopefully.

Andros ran his fingers through her hair and shook his head. "I know they don't."

"You're sure?"

"I'm positive," Andros said firmly. "Karone and I were worse than this, before she vanished. If she hadn't, we would have killed each other."

"I can't see you fighting with Karone," Ashley admitted a moment later.

"It's like Ryan said," Andros said. "Once she was gone, I'd have given anything to get her back."

"So you don't think they'll hate each other when they grow up?"

"I'm sure they won't," Andros assured her. He slipped his hands under her shirt to rub small circles in her swollen abdomen. Ashley's entire body was tensed, not much, but enough for him to worry that she was under too much stress to be healthy for either her or the baby. "They'll love each other, and their little brother or sister."

His touch soothed her more than his words did, and Ashley gradually began to relax against him, her eyes closing once again. "Andros? What should we name the baby?"

Andros smiled, both his hands still resting on her stomahc. "What about Sorin, if it's a boy?"

"Maybe," Ashley said, testiing the name out in her head a few times. "What about for a girl?"

Andros's smile grew wider, and he said instantly, "Seren. It's Karovan."

"It's pretty," Ashley said. "What's it mean?"

"Star," Andros said softly, moving one hand up to stroke her cheek gently. Her eyes opened at his touch, and Ashley found herself lost in Andros's eyes. "The name didn't fit either of the twins, but you... you're like a star, Ash, and..."

Andros stopped talking as he tried to keep himself from blushing and failed miserably. Ashley was staring at him with a wide smile on her face, and she wrapped her arms around his neck, squeezing him hard.

"Do you have idea how sweet that was?" Ashley demanded, suddenly struck with the urge to cry. "I love you so much, Andros."

"I love you, Ash," Andros whispered, watching Ashley's eyes slowly close again. "Good night."

"Night," Ashley mumbled, still smiling as she fell asleep.