Disclaimer: I don't own the Power Rangers.>
TrueRomantic: No, Andros and Zeah weren't bondmates, just very close. And who says he and Ash will be:P
Ashley Hammond/Astro Yellow: I can't race through Part 1, sorry, but seeing how I spent FIVE HOURS on AIM with you yesterday writing an 'extended version' of that one scene just for you, you really shouldn't have anything to complain about. :D Hurry up and write something for that Truth or Dare story! I want to see how cute Andros is. And what else he is. :grins: Umm... what else? Does your Demon like candy? Mine thinks it's the best present in the world. Cheap, too... EVERYONE SHOULD READ AH/AY'S STORIES! There. :D
Juzblue: I hate Kale, too!
Funky In Fishnet: I don't like that brother, either. Here's more.
Jessica01: Andros has a bad habit of blaming himself for things he had no control over.
Mz. Daydream: They were both his old girlfriends. Kadri first, and then Zeah.
DV2: Maybe, maybe not, you'll see in a few chapters. :D
Alacrita: Here's more and I can't wait for your next chapter!
Chapter 21
"A Karovan shuttle is approaching," Deca announced. "It requests permission to dock.""Kale," Andros muttered to himself. With a heavy sigh, he glanced up at Deca's red eye. "Dock the shuttle."
"Docking procedures begun," Deca replied.
Andros pushed himself up in bed, tired with glaring up at the top bunk. Swinging his legs over the side of his bed, he stood, his balance unsteady as the blood rushed back through his head. The darkness didn't help, and he nearly stumbled headlog into the door. Shaking his head hard, he stepped into the corridor, now nearly blinded by the sudden light.
His first steps were in the direction of the docking bay, but he hadn't moved past Cassie's door when he stopped cold, unable to take another step. He knew without a doubt that Kale would bring up Zeah, and he knew there was no way he would be able to keep himself from breaking down completely, especially not after his conversation with Ashley that afternoon.
Turning on his heel, Andros nearly ran in the opposite direction, not knowing where he was going, and not caring. He just couldn't force himself to sit quietly as Kale raged at him as he had over the comm. He didn't doubt that Zhane and Karone would keep Kale from going too far, and that was exactly why he had to get away. His pride had had enough of others defending him, and he couldn't seem to defend himself.
So instead, you're just going to hide until he leaves.
Andros felt himself flush, but didn't stop walking. He halted abruptly before the Simudeck doors, hesitating. After Zeah's death, Zhane had locked him out of the room for six months, having caught him in midnight training runs one too many times. He doubted that it had occured to his friend to do so this time, and stepped forward. The door slid open smoothly, and he sighed with relief, eager to vent out... well, everything. He stopped short in the entryway, his eyes widening as he realized that the room was already occupied.
Ashley glanced up from her stretches as he entered, hopping to her feet as he hovered near the doors. "Hi."
"Hi," he muttered at the ground. "I didn't mean to interrupt..."
"You didn't," Ashley assured him. "How are you?"
"I'm fine."
Ashley sighed, studying his completely stoic expression. He was obviously more composed now than he had been after their conversation on the Observatory earlier, but if he'd buried all his emotions to regain his composure...
"Are you really?"
"I--I don't know," Andros answered honestly. "Maybe."
Ashley sighed again, and nodded, knowing she wasn't going to get much more out of him. "So, were you looking for me, or did you want to use the Simudeck?"
"I wanted to use the Simudeck," he said, realizing for the first time that he wasn't exactly dressed for it. "But you can. It's all right."
Ashley's smile was a timid one, as though she wasn't sure she should. "We could share.""What?"
"I was just going to run one of those training sims," Ashley explained. "I know what you said before, but... well, I just thought..."
"I..." He hesitated. "Which one?"
"Not yours," she said, faintly amused. "I haven't quite worked my way up to a hundred Quantrons."
He flushed, not knowing how to answer. His mind drifted back to the night she had ended the simulation just as one Quantron had moved to do him some serious damage. He wished now that he hadn't snapped at her so angrily, yet the apology that formed on the tip of his tongue didn't quite make it out.
"Which one, then?"
"Does it matter?" Ashley shrugged. "Look, why don't you go change and I'll start one?"
Andros was halfway out of the door before he remembered what he was doing on the Simudeck in the first place. "No, it's all right," he said. "I don't need to change."
Ashley looked at him oddly. "What's going on?"
"The shuttle has docked," Deca announced. Andros glared at her eye, suspecting that she had deliberately chosen that moment to speak for the sole purpose of arousing Ashley's curiosity.
"What shuttle?" she demanded. "Is your brother here already?"
"Yeah," he muttered. "He's here."
"I'm sorry," she said quietly. "How long is he staying?"
Andros shrugged as though he couldn't care less. "A few days?"
"A few days," Ashley repeated. "Will you be all right?"
He shrugged again. "I don't know."
"Spar with me," Ashley suggested suddenly.
"What?"
"Spar with me, Andros," Ashley repeated. "It'll take your mind off of things, and it'll be good for me, too."
Andros hesitated. "I wouldn't want to hurt you."
"You won't," she assured him, straightening the hem of her tank top as she spoke. She wore her warm-up sweatpants, but the sweatshirt was on the ground across the room, along with her towel.
"You don't know that," he said, still indecisive.
"Andros, I'm not a ranger for nothing," she said, clearly amused. "And you're not that much bigger than I am."
He watched her for a moment, and then slowly shrugged out of his jacket, tossing it carelessly to the ground. Ashley fell into a defensive position, clearly wanting him to attack first. He did, swinging a slow kick in her direction, one she blocked with ease.
"You can do better than that," she informed him, her returning kick much faster. He blocked her automatically, and she grinned at him, tugging her ankle loose. She dropped to the ground before his mind even registered that she'd moved, and he found himself dangerously close to having his legs knocked out from under him by her sweep kick.
Andros flipped out of her way, landing in a crouch just as she straightened up. He sprang at her and she leapt back. The speed of his tornado kick startled her, and she ducked just in time, close enough to feel his pants leg brush against the top of her head.
Straightening up, Ashley sprang forward, catching the fist that came at her. She managed to twist his arm behind his back, but that left his other arm still free. He spun, pulling himself free.
Ashley didn't react quickly enough and nearly found herself in a chokehold, but Andros seemed to hesitate, and she took full advantage. She caught his arm and tugged hard, sending them both to the ground with her on top.
"I win," she declared triumphantly, pinning his arms. No sooner had the words left her mouth than she yelped in surprise, collapsing on top of him as he flung his arms out and rolled.
"No," he said quietly, his expression unreadable as he studied her. "I win."
She tried to laugh, but it was difficult. Andros had her pinned so completely she could hardly move a muscle, and he let his full weight bear down on her, cutting short her air supply.
He held her there just long enough for her position to become uncomfortable before pulling back, watching her silently. He said nothing as she drew in several deep breaths, though she saw him wince as she rubbed at the stark white and red marks on her wrists.
"I'm sorry," he offered finally, reaching out to her. His hand closed around her wrist, gently this time. Ashley tried not to shiver as his fingers caressed her skin, his touch so light it wasn't really there.
"It's all right," she said quietly. "You didn't hurt me."
"But I could have," he protested. "I shouldn't have done that."
"Andros, it's all right," she insisted. "I'm fine."
"You should be careful," he blurted out, his hold on her wrist tightening just a bit. "We were just sparring, but in a real fight..." He hesitated, muttering, "I wouldn't want anything to happen to you."
"I'll be careful," she promised, touched by his concern.
Andros released her wrist then, and reached out to her slowly, giving her time to protest should she want to. When she didn't say a word, he drew her into an embrace, holding her close against his chest.
"I wouldn't want anything to happen to you," he repeated, his breath warm against her ear. Ashley wrapped her own arms around him in return, not knowing how else to reassure him that nothing would.
She didn't hear the doors whoosh open, but when Andros's arms tightened around her abruptly, she glanced up in surprise. Her face darkened as she took in the man leaning against the entryway, smirking.
"Hello, brother."
"Kale," Andros said stiffly. "What do you want?"
"I want to know what we're going to do about Mom and Dad," Kale said coldly.
"It can wait until morning," Andros said. "It's late. Karone's already asleep."
"Fine." Kale's eyes strayed to Ashley, who was still wrapped up in Andros's arms. "You sure she's not your lover?"
Andros released Ashley so abruptly she nearly fell. "She's not my lover."
"I've got to go," Ashley announced loudly. "I've got a history final tomorrow I should finish studying for... Andros, do you still have time to help me?"
He studied her for a moment, struck with the sudden urge to just crush her in his arms and never let her go. Kale wouldn't believe for an instant that he knew anything about Earth history, but Ashley had still given him an excuse to follow her. Though his pride was deeply wounded at the prospect of having her rescue him from his brother for a second time in the same day, he nodded without hesitation.
"Yeah," he said, pushing past Kale to follow her off of the Simudeck. His brother didn't come after them, and as they rounded the first corner, he stopped and drew her back into his arms, burying his face against her hair.
"Thank you," he whispered, hugging her closer. "Thank you."
