Disclaimer: The Power Rangers aren't mine. Any characters that weren't on the show are mine. (yay!)
Ashley Hammond/Astro Yellow: Yeah, not fun. Do you know how hard it is to write Ashley with another guy:P
DV2: Here ya go.
C.C.C: I don't like Ben, either. :P The other rangers don't exactly love him, but they know better than to tell Ashley what to do.
Jenny: Yes, I know I have too many things going on. I tried, I really did, but it's apparently impossible for me to have only one story at a time.
hmmart: I agree, Andros was the cutest ranger ever:P
Juzblue: Glad I got ya hooked. :P
flowerweasly16: Not many people do like Ben. Hehe...
Chapter 5
Ashley knocked quietly on Ben's door, shivering slightly in the cooling night air. The door was flung open almost immediately, but when she moved to step inside the house, he blocked her way.
"What took you so long?" he demanded, his blue eyes narrowing.
Ashley shrugged. "My parents haven't seen me in a few days, that's all. Dinner took longer than I thought it would... I'm here, aren't I?"
Ben grinned and finally stepped aside, slamming the door shut behind her. "What time do you have to be home by?"
"Whenever I want." The moment the words were out of her mouth, Ashley wondered if that had been the smartest thing she could have said.
"Good," he said, tugging her into the living room. "You still owe me."
Ashley laughed, letting him push her down onto the couch without protest. "The two hours in the movie theater didn't count?"
In answer, Ben pushed her down against the arm of the couch, following her before she had even the chance to arrange herself comfortably. Ashley closed her eyes as his mouth pressed against hers insistently, surrendering completely to the sensation.
Her fingers combed through his short blond curls as he ran his tongue across her lips, working her mouth open. Ashley shifted as he pressed down into her, their bodies so close she could barely breathe. Their fingers laced together as he teased her tongue with his own, pinning her arms to the couch.
Ashley gasped as his mouth left hers abruptly, from lack of oxygen just as much as from the sensations caused by his lips trailing slowly down her neck. Her mind was spinning, she couldn't think past the feel of his lips on her skin, and when he pulled back abruptly, it left her completely disoriented.
"What - " she managed to ask, her head clearing as the seconds ticked by.
Ben tugged at her sweatshirt, and Ashley took the less than subtle hint, quickly shrugging it over her head, and tossing it to the ground. She settled back against the couch and gave his arm a quick tug, pulling him back onto her. Ashley yelped as he kissed her again, her muscles straining against his as she pushed him back up.
"Ow," she complained, rubbing at the sore spot on her neck. "You bit me."
"Yeah," he said, shifting. "Sorry."
He didn't sound it, but Ashley didn't protest as he bent to kiss her again, this time trailing his mouth slowly along the neckline of her top. It was only as he continued to kiss her that Ashley realized how revealing the shirt really was, but she said nothing, unsure of what to do, unsure of what she wanted him to do.
The moment she felt his hands slipping beneath her shirt, Ashley froze, struggling away from him. Ben made a sound in protest, reaching to drag her back to the couch.
"Ashley..."
"Ben..." Ashley stared at him, waiting until her breathing had slowed before slowly saying, "I can't."
"Why not?"
She shrugged helplessly. "I just can't."
"Ashley, we've been together for a year," he reminded her.
"I know," she whispered. "But Ben, I... I'm not ready for this."
"Ashley - "
"I have to go," she said abruptly, already moving towards the door. "I'll see you tomorrow."
---
Andros ducked instinctively, a Quantron's blade whizzing by overhead as he hit the ground, only to be forced back up again. Whirling, he kicked away one Quantron, stumbling as he was hit from behind from another. Caught off guard, he lost his balance completely when forced to dodge another blade.
Nearly collapsing to the ground, Andros rolled, forearms pressed to his face protectively. Leaping back up, he had a split second's warning before throwing himself out of the way once again.
A metal fist came at him from the side. He caught it, twisting away as he threw the Quantron to the ground. The moment his hands were free again, he found himself catching another fist, simultaneously ducking a blade.
Panting, Andros found himself relying completely on instinct, the Quantrons coming at him faster than he had time to think. Time after time, he found himself closer and closer to defeat, but he refused to surrender to his enemy, even if it was only an enemy created by the Simudeck.
A hard kick to the ribs surprised him and he stumbled, one foot catching the other. Unable to slow his fall, Andros went down in a heap, his arms having been somewhere out to the sides. He landed on his stomach, the wind knocked out of him. Cold metal feet bore down on his wrists as he struggled to move, effectively pinning him to the ground. His body tensed, he desperately tried to gasp some air back into his lungs, struggling not to think about the next blow. While the safety on the simulated mosters prevented them from killing him, they were still quite capable of doing some serious damage.
The blow never came; instead, a quiet voice ordered, "Deca, stop simulation."
Andros groaned as the metal monsters disappeared, his forehead resting limply against the ground. Still short of breath, his head spun as he slowly pushed himself up onto his hands and knees, the dizziness nearly enough to knock him off balance once again.
"Breathe," he was ordered. Rather than becoming infuriated at the command, he nodded, suddenly unspeakably grateful for the presence of the person at his side.
"I'm all right," he muttered, flinching away as a gentle hand was laid on his shoulder. "Don't touch me."
"I'm sorry," Ashley said quickly, drawing back her hand. She sat back on her heels, studying him intently. "Andros, what did you think you were doing?"
"I'm not helpless," he snapped angrily, pushing himself back on his heels. "I know how to fight."
"It looked like you were trying to kill yourself," she retorted. "How many Quantrons were in here?"
"One hundred," he admitted reluctantly. The sudden sensation of guilt startled him. He had done nothing wrong, yet at the stunned look upon Ashley's face he felt that he had.
"One hundred?" she repeated dimly. "Andros, it's a miracle you're still alive."
"What are you even doing here?" he demanded, ignoring the ring of truth that accompanied her last statement.
"I live here, remember?"
He flushed, suddenly remembering a similar conversation, one that had ended with him throwing the yellow Astro morpher at her before fleeing from her, two actions that he knew no cause for.
"I didn't mean... Why are you here now?" he asked, admitting, "I thought everyone was asleep."
But for the fact that she was fully dressed, and her brown eyes were clear and alert, Andros would have sworn that Ashley had been asleep as well. Her hair was mussed and her clothes were slightly rumpled.
"I just got back," she said, frowning slightly. Her eyes drifted around the room one or twice before focusing on his own. "Is that what you do? You wait until everyone falls asleep and then you come here?"
Andros found himself nodding. "Sometimes."
"Why does it have to be secret?"
"It doesn't," he muttered, his heart beginning to crave the sweet sound of her voice.
No, he told himself sternly. No. Not her. Not again.
"But it is," Ashley pointed out. "Or else you'd use this place during the day."
"I..." Andros looked away, frightened by the caring he spotted in her eyes. "I didn't want to be interrupted."
"You're bleeding," Ashley said suddenly, gesturing at his hands with her own, though she didn't try to touch him.
"Oh."
Andros stared down at his hands, bruised, red, and bleeding in spots where the skin had broken. His vision spun as he did so, and he shook his head, feeling for the first time how the damp strands of his hair stuck to his skin, damp with sweat. The rest of his body was just as sweat-soaked, nearly to the point where it would have appeared that he'd stood under a shower fully dressed.
"I should go now," he muttered, standing slowly, afraid of upsetting his balance. Ashley stood as well, her voice following him as he moved from the Simudeck.
"Andros..." She paused, waiting until he had turned towards her before speaking. "If you'd ever want me to, I'll train with you."
"I don't want you to," he mumbled automatically, not even giving her words time to sink in. "Good night, Ashley."
Turning, he left before she had the chance to speak another word.
