Chapter 15: Still Love You

Andros sighed as he lied back on his bed thinking about all this. Aiko was Ashley's twin sister. The sister that he didn't even know existed until now. Aiko didn't even mention that she had a sister. This was happening way too fast for him. He thought that he'd defeat Balavan and would spend the rest of his life with Ashley, but all this had to happen. All of these lies are becoming truths and it was scaring him. He wasn't sure what to do. He was afraid to lose Ashley, Karone, and his friends. Andros was afraid of becoming Lord Hadrian again. He wouldn't be able to handle it if that happened. Pain hit Andros's heart again as he thought about his friends and Aiko's deaths, the deaths he caused because he fell for an evil lie. Those memories still haunt him and he knows what Karone feels whenever she feels guilty about being Astronema. She did so many terrible things, like he did.

Ashley was lying on her bed thinking about the truth that was just told to her. She knew that she was adopted. Her parents told her a long time ago that she was adopted. She just never paid attention to it until now. The love of her life killed her sister all those years ago, but she knew that it wasn't his fault. Andros fell for a trick, just like how Karone fell for the trick that day when she tried to stop the asteroid from hitting Earth. However, this time, Ashley was trying to think of what to do. She still loved Andros more than her life, but the fact was, she lost the chance of knowing her twin sister. Ashley wasn't blaming Andros for that, she blamed Braedan for that. Ashley also knew that Andros was having a hard time getting over the news, just like she was. She knew that Andros was having a hard time believing that she was Aiko's sister. Ashley couldn't believe it herself. At the same time, Ashley still loved Andros more than anything in the whole universe. Ashley sat up and grabbed her jacket. She got up and decided to go talk to Andros about it.

Andros heard a knock on the door and sat up. "Come in," he answered. Ashley came in and leaned against the doorframe.

"Hey," she greeted.

"Hey, Ash."

She walked over and sat next to him. "This is really bugging you, isn't it?" She asked. Andros sat up and sat on the edge of the bed.

"I did horrible things, Ashley. Every time we battle Balavan, all the pain and all the memories come back to me. It hurts, Ashley, now it really hurts knowing that I killed your sister. Your own flesh and blood," he replied.

"Andros, this wasn't your fault."

Andros pulled his hand away from hers and stood up. "How can you still love me after you learned of all the stuff I did? I killed my own friends, Ashley. I killed them without mercy. I might've had the name Lord Hadrian, but I had the strength to fight back and I didn't. I let my friends die. I let Aiko die," he explained. Ashley knew that all the pain was coming out at last. After all these years of him keeping it inside, he was finally coming out with it. "I killed your sister and yet you still love me. I'm a monster, Ashley," he insisted. Ashley watched as tears fell down his face. "You shouldn't be loving me like you are. You should see me as a monster and shun me out of your life," he added. Ashley was in shock at his words. Andros sat down in a chair and Ashley got up and walked over to him. She then kneeled down in front of him.

"I can never hate you. I love you," she answered.

"But you shouldn't."

Ashley touched his face. "I should, because I do. Nothing in the universe can change how I feel," she assured him. Andros calmed down a bit. "I love you and no evil can change that. Balavan could send his entire army after us and I'll still love you. You can't change your past, Andros. You have a bright future ahead of you," she explained. She placed both of her hands on his face. "I love you, please tell me you love me too," she almost begged. Andros placed his hands over hers.

"I do love you, I love you so much," he answered.

Ashley wrapped her arms around his neck in a hug. Andros hugged her back and didn't want to let her go, however, the fear was still there. He was afraid to lose Ashley the same way he lost Aiko. Andros refused to lose Ashley to that fate.

Later that night, Andros woke up in Ashley's arms and slowly got up from her embrace. He walked over and pulled on his uniform. Andros looked over at his sleeping angel and felt the pang of guilt hit him as he made this decision, but he made up his mind about it. He refused to lose Ashley. He wrote a note and placed it on his pillow beside Ashley. Andros kissed the side of her head and looked at her. "I love you," he whispered. Then Andros snuck out of the room.

Andros entered the Bridge and pulled out his PDA. He set it on the controls and looked up at DECA's glowing red eye. "DECA, you don't know where I've gone, understood?" Andros instructed.

"Acknowledged," DECA replied.

Andros then went to the hanger bay and went to one of the extra ships there. He was going to a planet to escape everything, so he could keep his friends and Ashley safe.

(Next Morning: Megaship)

Ashley woke up and expected to find Andros asleep beside her, only to find his note sitting on his pillow. She sat up and held the note in her hands. She slowly opened it and started to read what he had to say to her.

Dear Ashley,

I want you to forgive me for doing this, but I just can't stand the thought of you dying the same way Aiko did. I would die along with you if it happened. If I stay around, Balavan will be sure to kill you because you're loyal to me. I can't take that chance.

However, I want you to know something. If Balavan finds me and kills me, I want you to know something. I loved you the moment I saw you on that desert planet a year ago. If I do die, I don't want you to dwell over my death. I want you to move on with your life and find someone that could make you happy. Make this silent promise to me, Ashley. Promise me that if I die, you will find someone else. That you'll continue on with your life.

If I do survive, I promise you that we will have our future together. I will marry you once this is all over. That is my promise to you. I love you more than my life and I will give my life for you. Jut please forgive me for this choice. I love you.

Love Always,

Andros

Tears fell down Ashley's face as she held the note to her chest and cried. Andros was gone and it was all because Balavan kept taunting him about Aiko's death and possibly her death. Ashley curled up in a ball and kept crying until she couldn't cry anymore. Before Ashley knew it, she had cried herself to sleep with her head on Andros's pillow.