Disclaimer: Blah, blah, blah, Power Rangers isn't mine... don't sue...

Juzblue: Here ya go. :P

Just Jill: Nope, those doubts aren't a good thing...

C.C.C: I'd really like to say that they're not going to be hurt, but I don't like lying...

Jenny: You should make a new email address at that! I don't actually know what address that is, but you should anyway.

Ashley Hammond/Astro Yellow: Well, I didn't update, and I'm not dead. Were the Megazords sleeping too:P

Author's Note: I was bored. Normally, that means I put up another story, but this time, it means that I started an AA forum. The link is on my profile page. Whenever you've got time, check it out and feel free to post stuff, just please don't do anything dumb or illegal, m'kay? Thanks.

Chapter 8

"Oh, hey, Andros," Ashley murmured automatically as she heard the door open and then shut. Glaring down at the equations staring up at her off of the pages of her calculus book, she didn't glance up at her husband until the flash of red out of the corner of her eye told her he was kneeling in front of her.

"Hey, Ash," he said softly, peering up into her weary brown eyes in concern. "Are you all right?"

"Yeah." Ashley gave him a tired smile and slammed the book shut, the satisfying sound soothing her aggravated temper. "Just studying."

Andros narrowed his eyes at her skeptically, as if sensing that wasn't quite the whole truth, but he said nothing, and his face gradually relaxed into a half smile. Rising to sit beside her on the couch, he pulled her into his arms, frowning as he felt the tension of her body.

"You sure you're all right?" he asked gently, his fingers trailing up and down her spine.

"I'm fine," Ashley said firmly. "We start finals tomorrow, that's all."

"You'll do fine," Andros assured her, still rubbing her shoulders. He was finally feeling her muscles beginning to loosen up.

Ashley let all the air out of her lungs in a sigh. Slowly inhaling again, she glanced up at him with a tiny smile playing upon her lips. "Thanks."

"I mean it, Ash," he insisted, tilting his head against hers. "You're going to do fine."

"What am I doing in calculus, anyway?" she wondered aloud, staring down at the book in her hands. "I want to be a fashion designer, not a mathematician."

Andros laughed quietly, the sound slightly muffled as he buried his face in her hair. "I think your original reason in taking that class was to prove to your father and brother that you could do it."

"Yeah..." Ashley's voice slowly diminished in strength until it was gone and she was fighting back tears. Realizing his mistake, Andros tightened his arms around her waist, silently waiting until she'd regained her composure.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, not daring to move. "I didn't mean - "

"I know you didn't," she said softly, biting down hard on her lower lip. "I just... miss them."

"I know, Ash." Sighing quietly, Andros stroked her hair, slowly running his fingers through the silky strands as Ashley's shoulders began quivering.

"I'm all right," she muttered when he drew back to stare at her concern. Struggling not to cling to him, she insisted, "Really, I'm okay."

"No," he said quietly, drawing her back into his strong arms. "You're not... Just cry, Ashley."

Already tears had begun leaking out of her eyes, but at his words, they began to flow uncontrollably. Slipping her arms around his waist, Ashley clung to Andros as she buried her face in his chest, every hurt, every frustration, every pent-up emotion demanding release.

Wordlessly, Andros rocked her back and forth, his hands rubbing small, soothing circles across her back. Ashley gulped down air, struggling to bring herself back under control, but it proved completely impossible and instead, she crawled into Andros's lap, desperately seeking the comfort he offered without hesitation.

She wasn't crying about her family anymore, she wasn't crying about anything anymore, she was just crying, and she knew that he knew it too. Ashley had no idea how much time passed with him just holding her as she cried into him, but after awhile, she was aware of Andros shifting, stretching his legs out before he settled back into the couch. He didn't complain as she sank even deeper into his embrace, only cradling her close to him as her tears gradually slowed.

"Thank you," she whispered, finally raising her head off of his chest. Andros watched her for a moment, staring sadly into her teary eyes before pulling her back into his arms. One hand slipped underneath the sweatshirt she was wearing, and as his thumb began to rub soft circles across her swollen abdomen, he felt her finally beginning to relax.

"It's all right, Ash," he murmured as she began to calm down. "It's all right."

"I'm sorry," she muttered, rubbing at her eyes with the hem of her sweatshirt. "I don't know... it's just horomones, I guess."

Andros frowned, knowing that her answer wasn't the whole truth. He glanced down at the thick textbook that had slipped from Ashley's hands to the ground as she'd cried, biting his lip as he stared at the three others piled unsteadily one atop the other.

"Ash," he said slowly. "When was the last time you took a break?"

"I can't take a break," Ashley said almost frantically. "Andros, I need to know all this. I don't have time to take a break."

"You need to," he said firmly, pressing a kiss to the top of her hair. "You're being too hard on yourself."

"But I - "

"Ash, when was the last time you slept?"

"A few days ago," she admitted, quickly continuing with, "But I need - "

"You need sleep," he told her firmly. "What about food? When was the last time you ate?"

"This morning," she muttered. "I wasn't hungry at lunch."

Andros sighed. "Ashley..."

"Andros, I'm fine," she snapped. "Don't look at me like that."

"Ash, you're exhausted," he said softly, watching her irritated expression worriedly. "It's not good for either you or the baby."

"I know," Ashley relented, conflicting emotions flitting across her face. "But, Andros, I can't just not study..."

"Ash, are you even remembering anything anymore?" he asked knowingly, not surprised to see her face turn away from his. "So you're stressing yourself for nothing."

Ashley sighed, chewing her lower lip anxiously. "I'll be fine," she insisted weakly. "It's only a few more days, and then I've got a whole month..."

Andros eyed her skeptically, but in the end chose not to comment. "At least eat something," he pleaded. "You can't starve yourself for the next week and be fine."

Ashley scrunched up her nose at him, but nodded a moment later. "Fine."

"I'm going to go make you some dinner, all right?" Andros said, slowly easing her out of his lap.

"Thanks," she muttered, her hands already reaching for one of the books piled on the floor.

Andros sighed as she buried herself in another textbook, but said nothing and silently made his way into the kitchen. Now he understood exactly how frustrated Ashley had been all those times she'd had to literally drag him away from his work.

---

Ashley was completely lost to the world when Andros tugged the book from her grasp, ignoring her look of indignation. Her half-hearted glare melted away into something softer as he handed her a sandwhich.

"Eat," he ordered her, settling down alongside her on the couch with his own plate.

"Thanks," she said quietly, picking at her food as her conscience got the better of her. "I'm sorry... for snapping at you before," she added at the confusion she saw spring into his face.

"Oh," he said, not quite meeting her eye. "It's all right, Ash."

"No, it's not," she insisted, struck with the urge to cry another time. "Don't say it is."

"Ash..." Andros sighed and swallowed the last of his sandwhich. "Really, it's all right. Just forget about it."

"But Andros, I... "

Ashley let her voice trail away. She doubted she was going to be able to make him see her point, and trying would only cause problems, as her temper wasn't yet fully under control.

"I love you," she murmured instead. Setting her plate aside, she edged closer to him, slipping her arms around his waist once she was close enough. Andros wasted no time in pulling her close, and as his arms wrapped around her, Ashley had to wonder what was so important about college after all.

"I love you too, Ash," he told her, letting the sweet scents of her shampoo and perfume overwhelm him. "Always."

"Always," Ashley echoed, hugging him closer. With a quiet sigh of contentment, she rested her head on his chest. Gradually, she became aware that her eyes had slipped shut despite her best efforts to keep them open.

"You need sleep," Andros told her firmly, slipping one arm beneath her knees. Carefully working his way to his feet, he carried her into their bedroom, setting down gently in the bed.

Already half asleep, Ashley was dimly aware of the fact that Andros was undressing her enough to let her sleep in comfort. She thought she could feel him settling the covers over her, but the only thing she was certain of was that he crawled into bed beside her and pulled her into his arms, although he couldn't possibly be tired himself. Although her mind was insisting that she struggle out of bed and continue where she'd left off, her exhaustion won out. With a tired sigh, she burrowed herself even deeper into Andros's arms, Ashley was soon fast asleep.