Chapter 7: Running Away

Ashley took a day off from work, she needed time to think. She walked along the beach and watched as a couple walked along the shore hand in hand. It reminded her so much of her and Andros before all this happened. Andros was supportive for Ashley, but she didn't feel worthy enough to have his support or his love. All she wanted was a picture perfect life. She was learning now that nothing was picture perfect.

Ashley sat on the beach and looked into the water. She placed a hand on her stomach that was now growing a tiny bump. She was only three months along, according to Andros she just had to wait two more months to be able to find out if the baby was his or Todd's. She placed her head in her hands. "No…if this baby is Todd's, it'll shatter Andros. I know it will," she murmured to herself. Even thought Andros told her he'd be supportive, she knew it would shatter Andros. Not because the baby's Todd's, but because it had to take a monster to get her pregnant and not him. She felt a hand on her shoulder. She jumped up and got in a guarding stance. "What are you doing here?" She demanded. John stood there and rubbed the back of his neck.

"I was looking for you," he replied.

"Why? Is there someone else that needs to take advantage of me?" She asked.

"No…I came to apologize."

Ashley crossed her arms over her chest. "For what? For beating me up so I could barely walk or locking me in a room with a man that was after me?" She asked.

"You have to believe me when I tell you that I didn't want to do it. Think back, Ash, out of all the guys that night, I was the one lest reluctant to hurt you," he replied.

"Then why did you do it? Why did you make my life a living nightmare?"

John stood there. "Money," he replied. Ashley's eyes widened.

"Money! You ruined my life for a tiny paycheck?" She demanded.

John nodded his head slowly. "I needed it, Ashley. I was in debt up over my head. I needed that money. It was just a small job," he explained.

"A small job that ruined my life. You know me, John. You know Andros," she insisted.

"I know I do. If there's anything I can do to help you in anyway to make up for what I did, let me know."

Ashley stood there in shock. "I need you to get me out of Angel Grove," she replied. John stared at her.

"What?" He asked.

"You heard me, I want to get out of Angel Grove. I need to leave my husband for awhile."

"Why?"

Ashley placed her hands on her stomach. "I'm pregnant, John. I don't know whether the baby's Andros's or Todd's. I want to get out of here and have the baby in private so that way I'll be able to find out on my own whether or not the baby is Andros's," she explained. John was stunned at her request.

"Where do you want to go?" He asked.

"NASADA," she replied.

"Why there?"

"I know where I'm going. I'll be heading to Miranoi, the planet where the new Space Colony is on. We have friends there and they can take care of me until I decide to come home…if I ever decide to come home."

John nodded. "Okay…okay, I'll take you to Reefside. I'll pick you up in an hour," he informed. Ashley nodded and watched him walk away. "Oh and Ashley," he called.

"Yeah?" She answered.

"I truly am sorry."

Ashley walked away without answering him.

When Ashley had her bag packed, she picked up her and Andros's wedding photo. Tears fell down her face and she looked around the room. "So many memories," she whispered. She then picked up the letter she wrote to Andros and placed it on the bedside table and placed her wedding ring on top of it. There was a honk on the outside of the house and Ashley knew it was John. She placed the wedding photo back on the bedside table and ran downstairs with her suitcase in hand. She left the house without another thought.

A few hours later, Andros came home. "Ashley?" He called. No answer. Andros walked up the stairs. "Ashley, you home?" He called out. The house was silent. He was confused and he walked into the bedroom. The room was still the same, but Andros felt that something was different. He walked over and saw that Ashley's clothes were gone. All her things were gone. "No…" he murmured. He saw the note sitting on the bedside table and along with her wedding ring. He picked the letter up and started reading it.

Dearest Andros,

You know as well as I do that I don't like saying goodbye, especially to you. If you're reading this letter I'm long gone out of Angel Grove by now. I can't say where I am or where I'm going, because I don't want to be found.

If you're wondering why I'm doing this, it's fairly simple. I know that if this baby is Todd's that it'll shatter you. You say you're supportive, you tell me you love me even though this happened, but I know you Andros. I know that you blame yourself for what happened to me. It wasn't your fault, I'll tell you that much, Andros. It was never your fault for what happened to me. The fault was always mine, because I didn't keep my guard up like I used to.

If this baby was Todd's, I can't standby and watch it tear you apart, because you'll blame yourself for it. I don't want you to do that, because it's not your fault. It was never your fault.

I don't know how long I'll be gone and I don't know when I'll come back. Just please don't come find me, Andros. I don't want to be found. And know that I love you more than anything in this universe. This is the right thing to do.

Please don't come and find me, I don't want you to find me.

Forever yours,

Ashley

Andros suddenly felt like he was dying. He couldn't breathe, think, or even stand. He had collapsed onto the bed the moment he started reading the letter. The letter fell out of his hands, but the wedding ring still sat in the palm of his hand. He lifted his hand up and picked up the golden band. Andros didn't know what to do. He wanted to find Ashley, but she specifically told him not to go find her, that she didn't want to be found. Andros knew that if he went against her wishes that she'll hide somewhere where he'd never see her again. H didn't want to be the cause of her vanishing off the face of the earth. Not knowing that now, his wife was on her way to NASADA to leave earth.

Ashley walked onto the Astro Megaship Mark II and looked around. "Ready, Alpha?" She asked.

"Ready, Ashley," Alpha replied.

"Set a course for Miranoi," she instructed.

"You got it."

Ashley took a deep breath and closed her eyes as she went for take off. She didn't even look at the main viewing screen, afraid to look back. She wasn't going to look back, she was going to look ahead and think about her child's future. Whether if it was Miranoi or Earth, Ashley was going to raise her baby with or without Andros.