Chapter 21: Ashley's Fear Part I

Ashley woke up early one morning and went to the infirmary. She saw Alpha there. "Oh! Ashley! What are you doing up so early?" Alpha asked.

"Hey, Alpha. I need to be scanned," she replied.

"Are you okay?" Alpha asked.

"I'm not sure."

Ashley sat down on the medical bed and Alpha walked over with the scanner. "Just lay back and relax," Alpha instructed. Ashley bit her lip as she laid down and tried to relax. "What are you symptoms that's making you come down here?" Alpha asked.

"I've been really sick during the past few weeks. I think it's the flu, but I can't get sick now," Ashley replied.

"Just relax, Ashley, we'll find out what it is soon," Alpha assured her.

Ashley closed her eyes and listened to the computer beep. "What is it, Alpha?" She asked. Alpha looked over at the computer.

"Ai, yi, yi! Ashley you're pregnant," Alpha replied.

Ashley sat up quickly. "I am? Again!" She gasped. She looked at the screen and she felt tears press against her eyes. She placed a hand on her stomach. "Pregnant," she whispered. It was too soon for her to get pregnant again, but she was and it scared her to death. After what the Psycho Rangers did to her first baby, she was afraid to lose this baby. Tears fell down her face as she placed her head in her hands and let out a quiet sob. Alpha patted her shoulder.

"There, there, Ashley, it'll be okay," he assured her.

Ashley lifted her head and wiped her tears away. "I can't be pregnant again. I just can't be, because I just lost the other one a few months ago and besides I'm on the pill," she whispered.

"I read somewhere that the pill doesn't always work," Cassie put in.

Ashley looked up. "Oh…Cassie, what am I going to do?" She asked. Cassie walked over and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"What do you want to do?" Cassie asked.

Ashley took a deep breath. "Do you want it?" Cassie asked.

"I--I don't know," Ashley replied.

Ashley wrapped her arms around herself. "I don't know, because if I keep it I would be following my Karovan custom, but the baby would be in constant danger. If I don't…it'll tear Andros and me apart," she explained. Ashley shook her head slightly.

"You are going to tell Andros aren't you?" Cassie asked.

Ashley let out a shaky sigh and nodded. "Yeah…yeah I'll tell him," she replied. Ashley placed her head on Cassie's shoulder with a sigh. "I'm scared," she whispered.

"I know," Cassie answered.

Later that day, they were over at the mall having lunch with Silvy. Ashley still hadn't told Andros that she was pregnant, she was waiting for the right time to tell him. She didn't felt that when she got Andros alone it would be the perfect time to tell him. Ashley passed TJ a container and looked over at Andros to see him trying to eat with the chopsticks. Ashley laughed slightly. "Here," she laughed. She fed him some of the rice in the container and she showed him how to hold the chopsticks. She smiled when he had the look of disappointment when there wasn't any left.

"Come on, let's get some more," Carlos suggested.

Silvy followed them and Cassie looked over at Ashley. "Did you tell him yet?" She asked.

"Tell him what?" TJ asked.

Ashley let out a sigh. "No, I didn't tell him yet," she replied.

"Tell him what?" TJ repeated.

Ashley looked at TJ. "Okay, I'll tell you, but you have to promise not to tell Andros. I'll tell him when I get him alone," she replied.

"What is it?" TJ asked.

Cassie looked at TJ. "She's pregnant again," Cassie replied. TJ looked at Ashley in shock.

"Seriously?" He asked.

"Yes, but you promised not to tell," Ashley reminded.

"I promise I promise," TJ assured her.

Just then, they saw people running and disappear. They saw a monster running through the town. "Come on, follow me," Cassie told them. They ran to a spot and morphed.

"You sure she can fight?" TJ asked.

"Yeah, Alpha and I created a some sort of force field around my stomach to protect him or her," Ashley replied.

"Alright, let's go," TJ told them.

They ran to stop the monster. Their suits protected them from the monster's ray, but when they went to attack the monster, they were easily defeated. "That was fun, but I'm a very busy monster," the monster informed. Then it disappeared.

"Now what?" Ashley asked.

"We have to find the others," Cassie replied.

"Let's get back to the ship," TJ instructed.

They nodded and got back to the ship.

(Megaship)

Ashley bit her lip. "The monster must've got them," Ashley whispered. Cassie placed a hand on her shoulder.

"I'm sure they're okay," she assured her.

"I hope so," Ashley answered.

Ashley placed a hand on her stomach while she searched for Andros, Carlos, and Silvy. "Any sign of them?" Cassie asked TJ. Ashley looked up and her eyes widened in shock.

"They're they are," she informed.

They looked at the screen and saw their three friends in cuffs being led away. "There's a force field around the city," Cassie informed. TJ pointed to the screen.

"It's being controlled by that antenna. If we can knock that out, goodbye force field," TJ informed.

"How are we going to tell them that?" Ashley asked.

"What if we can get inside somehow?" TJ asked.

"It is very dangerous. Once inside you will be unable to morph," DECA replied.

"Yeah well…" Cassie trailed off.

Alpha came in with three backpacks with everything they needed. Cassie looked at Ashley. "Maybe you should stay behind," Cassie suggested.

"No, I'm not staying. It won't be like before," Ashley answered.

They went down to Earth and they let the monster catch them.

When they landed in the secret city, Ashley opened her eyes to see that she had landed on her back. She sat up and looked around. "I'm here, Andros," Ashley sent telepathically.

Andros was following the others when he felt Ashley being near. "I'm here, Andros," he heard her say.

"Ashley…" he whispered.

To Be Continued…