Chapter 8: The Nightmares

Almost everyday, Balavan sends a new monster after the Rangers. At the same time, Andros was battling nightmares.

One night, Ashley woke up hearing mumbling in the room next to hers. She got up and went to see what was going on.

Once she opened Andros's door, her eyes widened when she saw Andros fighting against a nightmare. "No, leave her alone. Don't. ASHLEY!" Andros shouted. Ashley ran over to him and placed her hand on his shoulder.

"Andros, Andros, wake up," she insisted.

She gently shook him and Andros shot up from the bed. "Ashley!" He gasped.

"Hey, I'm right here," she assured him.

Andros looked over at her. She touched his sweaty face with a reassuring smile. "I'm right here, I'm not going anywhere," she assured him. Andros sighed as he hugged her tight. Ashley hugged him back. "I'm not leaving you," she whispered. Once Andros calmed down, Ashley went to leave when he grabbed her hand.

"Don't go," he whispered.

Ashley looked back at him and nodded. She got into the bed and Andros held her tight while burying his face into her hair. Ashley listened to his steady breathing. And then she slowly fell back to sleep.

The next day, Ashley found Andros by the controls. "Hey," she called. Andros looked over his shoulder to see his girlfriend.

"Hey, Ash," he greeted back.

She walked over and wrapped her arms around him. Her eyes were drawn to the scar on his head from the headband. "I know, it looks ugly, doesn't it?" He asked. Ashley sat beside him and traced the scar on his head.

"I've seen worse," she assured him.

He held onto her hand. "I can't shake these dreams, Ashley. Every single night, I dream about the cell I was stuck in. However, every single time, you're calling out to me for help. Begging me to help you and I can't reach you because of the chains on my arms and legs," he explained.

Ashley placed a hand on his face. "Andros, have faith, okay? Balavan will never touch you again and he surely won't get his hands on me," she assured him. Andros touched her face and sighed.

"He could've killed you. If it weren't for Zhane, he would have killed you," he told her.

"But I am here, Andros," she reassured him.

Just then, the computer went off and Balavan appeared on the screen. "What do you want?" Andros demanded.

"Your surrender," Balavan replied.

"That's never going to happen," Andros snapped.

"Meet me on the deserted planet, General Andros of KO-35."

Then Balavan cut the transmission. Ashley grabbed onto Andros's arm in fear. "Please, don't go," she whispered. Andros placed a hand on her face.

"Don't tell the others where I've gone," he insisted.

Ashley nodded her head slowly and watched as Andros went over to the jump tubes. "DECA, don't tell anyone where I've gone," he instructed.

"Acknowledged," DECA answered.

Andros then jumped through the jump tube and went down to the deserted planet.

Andros de-morphed and looked around. "Okay, Balavan, I'm here, show yourself," Andros ordered. Just then, a blast hit nearby and Andros jumped out of the way and saw Balavan standing there.

"Welcome, General Andros," he greeted.

Andros got off the ground. "What's the matter, your precious Ashley has yet to learn of the position you took on KO-35?" He taunted.

"You leave Ashley out of this," Andros snapped.

"Come, come, Andros. When I take over the galaxy, your precious girlfriend will be mine," Balavan laughed.

Andros glared at him and pulled out his PDA. "NEMEAN LION MYTH RANGER POWER UP!" He shouted. Once he morphed, he got into a fighting stance. "You leave Ashley alone," Andros snapped. He then pulled out his sword and started fighting Balavan.

(On the Megaship)

Ashley was getting nervous, Andros was gone too long to be all right. "Hey, Ashley, have you seen Andros?" Karone asked. Ashley suddenly felt nervous.

"No, I haven't seen him," she replied.

(On the Planet)

Andros hit the ground and held his side in pain. Balavan walked over and pressed his foot on his chest. Andros cried out in pain and tried to get Balavan's foot off his chest and saw that his sword was too far. "Aw, did poor little Red Ranger lose his sword?" Balavan taunted.

(On the Megaship)

Ashley felt pain hit her chest. Andros was in trouble and she could feel it. She grabbed her morpher and ran towards the jump tubes.

(On the Planet)

Andros watched as the blaster was held up at his head. "Say goodbye, Red Ranger," he laughed.

"HEY!" Ashley shouted.

They looked over at her. "Ashley, get out of here," Andros insisted. Ashley looked at her boyfriend, who was lying on the ground.

"FAERIE MYTH RANGER POWER UP!" She shouted.

"NO!" Andros shouted.

Balavan threw Andros halfway across the field and pulled out his saber. Ashley pulled out her sais. Andros de-morphed and felt pain shoot through him as he watched Ashley fight. Andros held up his PDA and morphed again. "HANG ON ASHLEY!" Andros shouted. He flipped over Balavan's head and landed beside Ashley. "You mess with Ashley, you're messing with me too," he informed.

"No problem," he sneered.

"NEMEAN LION FLAME!" Andros shouted.

"FAERIE STAR BLAST!" Ashley shouted.

The blasts knocked Balavan backwards. "I'll be back," He snapped. Then he disappeared. Ashley de-morphed and Andros stood there for a second before de-morphing.

"He was going to kill me...again," he mumbled.

Ashley placed a hand on his shoulder. "Come on, Andros, let's get back to the ship," she insisted. Andros nodded and followed his girlfriend back to the ship.

That night, Andros was asleep, but his nightmare returned again.

(Andros's Dream)

Andros felt pain shoot through him as he was thrown to the ground and saw Balavan standing in front of him. "You're weak," he snapped. Andros's eyes widened when Ashley was thrown to the floor.

"Ashley!" Andros gasped.

Ashley was beaten and she looked like she had been crying. "Andros, help me," she whimpered. Balavan walked over and grabbed Ashley's face.

"It's a shame I have to kill her, but she's no used to me," he sneered.

Balavan nodded to the soldiers and they pulled Andros up on his feet. "Watch and learn, Red Ranger," he laughed. He held his blaster up at Ashley and fired.

"NO!" Andros shouted.

(End Dream)

"ASHLEY!" Andros shouted. He shot up from bed with sweat on his forehead. He pushed his hair back and closed his eyes. "I won't...I won't let this dream come true," he murmured.