Chapter 5: Concerned Friends

Cassie came to school the next day and she saw Ashley coming to school all upset again. She walked over to her. "Hey, Ash, you okay?" She asked. Ashley tried to ignore her as she put her books away. "Ashley?" Cassie called. Ashley let out a heavy sigh. "Your dad didn't hurt you last night did he?" She asked.

"No…" Ashley replied.

"Well?"

Ashley looked her with tears falling down her face. "I can't see Andros anymore," she replied with a sob.

"What? What do you mean you can't see Andros anymore?" Cassie asked.

"My dad will kill Andros if I don't obey him."

Cassie grabbed her friend's hand and led her to an empty hall. Tears were falling down Ashley's face. "What am I going to do, Cass? I can't live without Andros," she sobbed. Cassie pulled her into an embrace and an idea came into her mind.

"Stay here," she instructed.

Ashley stood back by the wall and watched as Cassie hurried out of the hall. After five minutes later, she came back. "Okay, he's in the back of the school waiting for you," Cassie informed. Ashley was in shock.

"Andros is here?" She asked.

Cassie nodded and watched as Ashley ran out of the hall.

Andros was standing behind the school when he saw Ashley run out. Ashley wrapped her arms around Andros once she was able to reach him, not caring that she almost knocked him to the ground. "Cassie contacted me and told me that you had to tell me something. What's wrong?" He asked. Ashley pulled back and she placed her hands on his face.

"My dad said I can't see you anymore," she replied.

Andros felt his heart shatter. "What do you mean you can't see me anymore?" He asked. Ashley stepped back and rubbed the back of her neck.

"My dad told me that I can't see you anymore, because of last night. This is better than what he would usually try to do if someone found out," she replied.

Andros placed his hands on her face. "Ashley, don't do this. He's ruining your life," he told her. Ashley placed her hands over his.

"Things have to stay the way they are," she insisted.

Andros let out a sigh and stepped back. "You're a prisoner in your own home, Ashley. You're letting him destroy you every time you go back there," he insisted.

"What do you want me to do?" She asked.

"Stay with me where it's safe. Your dad doesn't know where I live."

Ashley shook her head. "It's not just that, Andros. He'll go after Cassie to find out where I am. I can't run away," she answered.

"One of these times he's going to go too far and kill you," he told her.

Ashley bit her lip and she lowered her head. "I'm begging you, Ashley, please don't go back to that house," he pleaded. Ashley shook her head again and she looked at him.

"Andros, I've tried to run away and I ran to the authorities before. No one will help me Andros, it has to be this way," she answered.

She looked at her watch and realized she was late for class. "I have to go," she informed. She turned to walk away when Andros grabbed her arm. Ashley stood there, but she didn't look at him. Andros sighed and let her go.

"You know how to find me if you need me," he reminded.

He then pulled out his morpher and went to the Megaship. Ashley swallowed the lump in her throat as she went back into the school and walked to her class.

Mr. Hammond was sitting in his chair watching television when Ashley came home. "You're late, Ashley LeAnn," he commented angrily. Ashley winced.

"I--I had to stay after school to get help for one of my classes," she informed.

"You know you're supposed to call," he snapped.

Ashley again winced and she nodded. "Sorry," she apologized. Mr. Hammond walked to the kitchen to get another beer when he heard the dog barking in Ashley's room.

"Shut that damn dog up," he snapped.

"Yes sir," she answered.

She quickly ran up the stairs and into her room. Ashley hurried over to her dog and started petting him. "You have to be quiet," she whispered. She sat on the bed and Astro curled up against Ashley. She smiled as she rubbed the dog's stomach while pulling out her book and tried to get some studying done.

Later on that night, Mr. Hammond came into Ashley's room. "Ashley, I'm going out with some of the guys to the bar. When I get home, this house better be cleaned. I better not find any trace of that Andros kid here either," he instructed. Ashley nodded.

"Yes, sir," she answered.

Mr. Hammond left the house and Ashley let out a sigh of relief. She loved it when he went out with his friends, because it gave her a few hours to relax and get things she needed to get done before he got home.

Andros was hiding behind the house waiting for Mr. Hammond to leave. Once he saw the car disappear into the distance, he climbed up to Ashley's window.

Ashley was reading when she heard a knock on her window. Astro started barking and Ashley looked over to see Andros sitting outside her window. She walked over and opened the window. "Are you crazy?" She asked. He shrugged his shoulders.

"You can say that," he replied.

Ashley let out a frustrated sigh. "If my father just happens to come home early he'll kill you," she pointed out. Andros looked at her.

"Ashley, I've been fighting worse things since I was fourteen. I think I can handle your dad," he assured her.

Andros climbed into her room and smiled to see Astro greeting him. "Hey, you're greeting me now?" He asked. He crouched down in front of the dog and scratched behind the dog's ear.

"Andros, what are you doing here?" She asked.

Andros got up from the floor and looked at her. "What do you think? I came to see if you're okay," he replied.

"I'm fine," she answered.

After a minute Ashley finally hugged him. Andros hugged her back. "This is so unfair," she murmured sadly.

"I know," he agreed.

He pulled back and touched her face. "I promise that once you're done with high school we'll be able to live our own lives," he assured her. Ashley smiled.

"I can't wait," she whispered.

Andros kissed her before hugging her again. "I love you, Ashley Hammond," he confessed. Ashley hugged him as tight as she could.

"I love you too, Andros," she answered.