Chapter 11: Saving Ashley

Cassie came back remembering her history book. She came in and gasped to find her best friend lying unconscious on the floor. "Ashley!" She gasped. She ran over and rolled Ashley on her back. "Oh God!" She shrieked. Ashley was starting to come to. Her face was badly bruised and her body felt like a truck ran her over. Cassie was trying to clean the blood off Ashley's face and arms when Ashley came to. "Ashley, just lie completely still," she instructed.

"He know," Ashley whimpered.

Cassie kneeled by her. "What?" She asked. Ashley looked up at her with a painful expression.

"My father knows abut the baby... God the baby!" Ashley gasped.

Ashley tried to sit up but Cassie had her lie back down. "I've called the ambulance and they told me to keep you absolutely still until they come," she informed.

"My baby..." Ashley sobbed.

Cassie stroked her hair while trying to keep her still. "Stay calm," she instructed.

"Andros..." She trailed off.

Ashley was trying to catch her breath. ""I'll call him. Do you want me to call him?" Cassie asked.

"Oh God Andros..." Ashley sobbed as she closed her eyes.

"What about Andros, Ash?"

"He was right. I should have stayed with him."

"You did what you thought was right to keep him safe."

"He wanted to keep... me safe..."

"Sh, sh, sh."

Cassie stroked her hair and held her hand. "Just stay calm okay?" She asked. Ashley held onto Cassie's hand with tears still falling down her face. The paramedics then came in.

"Please step back," a paramedic told Cassie.

"Cassie…"Ashley called.

The paramedics got Ashley on a gurney. "Are you having any cramping Miss Hammond?" The first paramedic asked.

"No, but I can't breathe very well," Ashley replied.

"You've got yourself all worked up. Take deep breaths okay?" The other paramedic asked.

"I'm trying," Ashley replied as she calmed down.

Cassie stood by the paramedics and held Ashley's hand. "Cassie," Ashley called.

"I'm right here, Ashley," Cassie assured her.

"Don't leave me," Ashley begged.

"I won't, I promise."

"Andros. contact him please?"

"Yes, I'll call him. Just keep calm. If not for yourself, but for the baby."

Ashley nodded. She closed her eyes. "I hurt all over," she whimpered. Cassie tried not to cry as she called Andros but stayed by Ashley.

"Who did this to you?" The first paramedic asked.

"My father," Ashley replied with tears falling down her face again.

The paramedics looked at each other as they wheeled her out of the house and got her into the truck. Cassie was talking to Andros on the phone she hung up just as she got in. "He's on his way," Cassie assured Ashley. Cassie held Ashley's hand. "I'm right here for you," she added. Ashley slowly nodded. Cassie kissed her forehead and pressed her forehead against Ashley's in a sister like manner. "Just hang in there," she murmured.

"Cassie, I'm so scared," Ashley whispered.

"I know. I know you're scared. Just hang tight we're almost at the hospital," Cassie answered.

"Just keep talking to her," the first paramedic instructed.

Cassie continued to stroke Ashley's hair with a comforting smile. Ashley tried to smile back but she was worried about her baby's life more than her own.

Later at the hospital, the doctor came in and Cassie was still by Ashley's side. "Miss Hammond?" She asked.

"Yes," Ashley replied.

A smile was on her face. "Your baby's just fine," she informed. Ashley let out a huge sigh of relief and tears fell down her face. She held her stomach and let out a small sob.

"Thank God! Thank God," she whispered.

"Fine and so far very healthy. How it survived is a miracle," the doctor added.

Cassie hugged her best friend as Ashley continued to cry. Cassie sighed and looked up when Andros came in. "Ashley..." He trailed off. Ashley looked up and wiped her tears away.

"Andros…" she whispered.

Andros hurried over and embraced her. "I hurried over as fast as I could," he told her. Ashley buried her head into his shoulder.

"I'm glad you came," she whispered.

"Of course I came," he answered. Andros sat back and he touched her bruised face. Cassie got up and left them alone. "What happened? Why did this happen?" He asked.

"My father found out that I'm pregnant," she replied.

Andros wasn't told that Ashley was pregnant and he was in shock. "P--Pregnant?" He asked. Ashley nodded slowly, slightly afraid about his reaction. Andros was in disbelief. "Is it mine?" He asked. Ashley again nodded. He felt his blood boil. "He was going to kill our baby?" He question angrily.

"Yeah. I want to talk to the cops. I want him in jail," she replied.

Andros nodded and stroked her bruised face. "He'll be thrown in jail once and for all," he assured her. Ashley started crying hard again.

"I can't live like this anymore," she sobbed.

Andros pulled her in his arms. "You're safe now. He's never going to touch you ever again," he assured her. Ashley nodded.

"I want to talk to the cops now," she told him.

"They're on their way," Cassie informed from outside the door.

Ashley nodded. "Thank you Cassie," she stated. Cassie nodded with a smile.

"I'll leave you two alone," she informed.

Then she left the room again. Ashley closed her eyes and fell asleep. Andros stroked her hair and kissed her forehead. The doctor smiled at Andros. "Sir, I'm going to hook Miss Hammond up to a machine. It'll keep track of the baby," she informed.

"Do it," Andros answered.

The doctor hooked Ashley up to the fetal monitor and left them alone. Andros looked at his fiancé's battered face. "I love you," he whispered.

After the police came and took Ashley's statement, Andros went to go clear his head while Ashley was sleeping.

Mr. Hammond walked into the room and he saw the fetal monitor showing a heart. "Damn, it's still living," he sneered. Ashley woke up when she heard him. She gasped when she saw her father standing there.

"What are you doing here?" She demanded.

Ashley gasped again when he pulled out a knife. "To finish my job," he replied. Ashley tried to keep away from him when he covered her mouth and pinned her down. Ashley bit his hand.

"HELP ME! SOMEBOY! HE'S GOING TO KILL MY BABY!" She screamed.

Andros came in and saw Ashley struggling with her father. "HEY!" He shouted. He got Mr. Hammond in a choke hold but then he suddenly froze when a sharp pain went through his stomach.

"ANDROS!" Ashley screamed.