Disclaimer: Not mine!

Ashley Hammond/Astro Yellow: Once Andros and Ashley are together, then he'll be perfect. Well, mostly perfect. Or just perfect in a select few ways. :P

Mz. Daydream: Here's more, and don't worry, Andros will open up completely soon. Well, Part 1 anyway.

Jenny: I updated! But you probably won't like it.

TrueRomantic: It's so much fun to have her read him so well, especially since it's driving him crazy:P

Funky in Fishnet: I love it too. It's so much fun:P

Juzblue: Here's more. I know they were close, but they have plenty of time, don't worry.

Chapter 14

"Mom?" Andros called telepathically. "Dad?"

He swallowed hard when there was no answer, refusing the even consider anything but the possibility that his parents had suddenly become distracted by something in the middle in the middle of the sidewalk.

A sudden shadow startled him, and he tensed, falling into a defensive stance automatically. To his relief, it was only Ashley moving to stand behind him.

"Sorry," she murmured, reading his body language with the same ease she read him. "Deca says there are two energy signatures are to the north."

"And my parents?" he demanded, following her without question.

"Sorry," she said again, shaking her head. "No sign of them."

"But they were just there," he cried. "Their energy signatures wouldn't just disappear, not unless..."

"I know," Ashley said quietly, hearing him choke.

She reached out without thinking, her fingers curling around his. To her surprise, he didn't recoil, and she knew then how frightened he was. He didn't release her as they started walking again, and his grip became almost painful as they made their way through the darkened streets. They must have looked rather odd, the yellow ranger hand-in-hand with the man hidden beneath the dark cloak, but the streets were eerily devoid of all life, and besides that, she didn't care.

"Did you hear that?" he asked suddenly, cocking his head to the right. "It sounds like... a fight?"

Ashley said nothing, but when he sped up, she followed, quietly summoning her Star Slinger. Their hands still clasped, they ran silently, stopping abruptly at the entryway to one of the many alleys in this part of town. Andros poked his head cautiously around the corner, his dark hood much less conspicuous than Ashley's yellow helmet.

The moment he tore his hand from hers and took off running, her heart sank, for she knew what he must have seen. She tore after him, raising her Star Slinger to fire. To her relief, Zhane and Karone had arrived. They were holding off Cosmos and Lyra fairly well, but she saw no sign of Adya and Kieran.

"Look who decided to come play." Lyra laughed as she caught sight of them, jabbing at Andros with her sword.

It was either her favorite taunt or her only one, Ashley decided, remembering those Lyra had used those same words in another battle. Andros didn't answer, but the way his attacks became wild and unfocused told Ashley that Lyra's words had gotten to him.

"What's the matter?" she sneered, her sword coming dangerously close to taking his head off. "Little red ranger has no powers?"

He lunged forward suddenly enough to take her by surprise, one hand knocking the sword from her grasp, the other clenching around her throat as he pinned her up against the wall.

"Where are they?" he demanded. "What have you done with my parents?"

"Who?" Lyra smirked.

"My parents, Lyra," he repeated calmly, though his fingers tightened around her throat. "Where are they?"

"Oh, I'm sure they're around here somewhere," she said lightly. "Ask Cosmos, maybe he can remember."

"Tell me where they are!"

"Is that how you ask for things?" Lyra grinned.

"Just tell me where they are," he snapped. "What have you done to them?"

"Nothing."

"Don't lie to me," he growled. "What's to stop me from killing you right now?"

Lyra considered the question for a moment. "Well, nothing, really. But you won't."

"I will."

"Then do it," she challenged him. She forced a blaster into his free hand, smirking as she stared into his eyes. "Do it."

Dimly, Andros thought he could hear Zhane shout his name, but he couldn't be sure he wanted to hear what his friend was saying. All he was sure of was the power Lyra's dark eyes had on him as he pressed the blaster hard against her temple.

"What's the matter?" she breathed, her eyes glinting with satisfaction. "You know, I really thought you'd do it, Andros."

"No," he whispered, feeling the lump forming in his throat. "No, you didn't."

"I did," she insisted. "I thought you'd jump at the chance... After all, it's not like you haven't killed before."

The blaster slipped from his hand, clattering loudly as it hit ground. He knew what she was doing, but knowing didn't keep the blood from draining out of his face. Knowing didn't dull the pain in his heart that had been there for so long.

"Kadri, please..."

He wasn't sure what he was pleading for, but he didn't think it mattered. He was right. The moment the name slipped out of his mouth, Lyra's expression had ceased being one of amusement. She drove her knee hard into his stomach, driving him back.

"Don't you ever call me that again," she hissed, her sword back in her hand. "My name is Lyra."

"I don't care who you are," he snapped back, blocking her easily for once. "I want to know what you've done with my parents."

"Andros!"

This time, he was certain he heard Zhane shout his name, and a moment later, he found himself staring up at the night sky as someone tackled him from the side.

"What was that for?" he demanded, scrambling to his feet.

"If you'd prefer, next time I could let Cosmos take off your head," Zhane offered, turning his attention back to the fight without so much as another glance toward him.

When Cosmos had charged at Andros, he'd ended up at Lyra's side once again, and now the two fought back to back. Ashley and Karone had, from the looks of it, done a fair amount of damage to Cosmos. He was depending heavily on Lyra, heavily enough that Andros wondered if they could actually kill him if Lyra wasn't there.

But she's always there, he thought bitterly. She's always there for him.

Ashley spun suddenly, blocking for him, and Andros jumped, realizing then how close Lyra's blade had come to him. He mumbled a thank you, wondering what he was doing down here in the first place. He wasn't helping them any. If anything, he was hindering them. They were spending to much of their time and attention keeping him alive, instead of concentrating wholly on the fight, as they should be. With a heavy sigh, Andros took off running down the alley, ignoring the shouts he heard from behind him, not sure that they weren't just wishful thinking.

"Deca, have you found my parents yet?" Leaning against the wall, Andros spoke quietly into his communicator, glancing around as though he expected them to fall from the sky.

"I detect your mother's energy signature nearby," she said slowly. "Your father has not yet appeared, but it is probable that they have been knocked unconscious."

"Where is she?" he demanded. "Teleport me there."

An instant later, he was much closer to the fight. Thrown carelessly up against the wall, hidden in the shadows were his parents, both unmoving. Swallowing hard, Andros fell to his knees beside them, telling himself sternly that if Deca had picked up his mother's energy signature, then she wasn't dead.

"Mom?" he whispered, touching her cheek lightly. "Mom!"

He thought she stirred, but her eyes didn't open. Biting his lip, Andros raised his communicator to his mouth another time, willing himself not to fall apart.

"Deca," he said urgently. "Teleport three to the infirmary."