Disclaimer: Marieke: Hey! That's your kid!
Maura: -shrugs- So?
Marieke: Cold hearted-monster! I should have killed you when I had the chance! Now those two need you too much! –groans-
Maura: -does a happy dance-
Summary: The return of Andros's parents changes all future plans of Andros and Ashley. It's doubtful they'll ever see each other again. But there's a secret Ashley's carrying around just dying to come out.
Phantom Rogue: Can you hate her now? Ashley's children are dears.
Tal: Chris and Chyler rule forever! Go on, kill her! Start your squads attempts! Voldie-Poo has!
Lady Kimiko: Yeah… maybe because Zhane still can't find the way to his bedroom. Well… sorry. Medicine rules alongside of Chris and Chyler, I never imagined it to be this fun to study. A lot more chapters, sorry, but I can tell you one thing, chapter 44 is bound to make you cry with fluff.
Arwennicole: Sorry, but that will be a while and I've decided the part where they truly are together… to make that a new story. I actually didn't want to give Ash a twin this time, but with the whole heir situation, either Cevil would be heir or Ashley's heir would be 17 years younger, so yeah, I had to welcome Chris and Chyler.
Star Fata: Send them over and try… but it's not very hard to make Cevil cry. I know the sibling logic when it comes to those things… I love it!
Zeopurple: Sorry, but it's only too sure he is, but Chris is still heir. The first born of the same gender as the ranger is, the power doesn't look at marriage status.
Megarider: Yeah, but Andros would be forced to raise a child he'd like to keep as minimal interactions with as possible. Here's the next one.
Slytherin-Angel44: Andros is a too good a son to. GO VOLDIE-POO! Darn it, Lynette.
JDPhoenix: Yeah, well, he could choose to change that when he grows older, but he doesn't. His loss. Here's the next.
BellaCordelia: As always here is more. Glad you liked it.
DizneeDol: You go the whole point alright. Actually… read the chapter after this before you say that again.
Jessica01: Duh.
SSL: Thanks, here's more.
C.C.C.: Um… oh yeah, I forgot to say I did… Phantom leads that… um… yeah, stupid me. Yeah, this is important and it's not subtly important either. Glad you like the disclaimer. Ask away, any way is fine with me :D
PhoenixGuardianEmaku: Hey… YEAH! Cevil EVIL! I didn't actually include Maura's face in the story. You get to imagine that. They will.
Tay: Nope, non of the above, sorry.
Kamali Shen: Good idea!
Enigmaforum: She believes he should be spoiled rotten for being an heir. Maura is ready to be killed… just not in the chapters I've updated.
Mita427: Good, go on, vent your anger. It won't be in the story. I'm not changing my written chapters. –cough- 44 –cough-
Mz. Daydream: OMG! If you hadn't pointed that out! I would have missed it! I swear! I didn't know I was there already! Cevil is evil, we established that. Um… no… so… you like Maura? –angel face-
Dragoneyes5000: Yeah, she needs to be taught a lesson… and she will later on.
The-power-of-love: Soon enough?
Secrets Untold
Chapter 18: Making Stand
Andros sighed as a small bundle of pink blankets was placed in his arms. The nurse would have given it to Maura, but she was too busy talking sweetly to Cevil. He looked down at the baby girl and nearly dropped her when his eyes stared back at him, wide in wonder. The little brown mop of hair on top of the small head was streaked with blonde too and he could tell from having been forced to hold Cevil who was a perfect copy of Maura, that this little girl took after him.
"So, what's the name of this little one?" The nurse asked, pen poised over paper.
"Maura?" Andros muttered. "She needs a name."
"Think of something - it's not important." Maura told him absently, never taking her attention off Cevil.
Andros glared at her for a moment. Behind him he heard Karone make a disapproving sound, but both sets of grandparents thought it more important to keep Cevil happy and swimming in attention then come over and look at the new arrival, though Avidan did look up at his son holding his granddaughter for a moment.
"Fine." Andros sighed, trying very hard to think of a name. "Danne."
He didn't know why he named his daughter after the first Karovan friend Ashley had made without them around. It was the first thing that came into his mind and when he looked at the big toothless grin, he figured it fitted the girl.
The little girl started fussing for food, but Maura ignored it, obviously not willing to nurse their daughter. He shot the nurse a thankful look when she handed him a bottle and he sat down on the nearest chair. Danne didn't mind being fed from a bottle, much unlike her big brother, and she drowned the contents eagerly.
"She is awfully cute though." Karone sighed, sitting down next to Andros and gently stroking the fuzz that people called 'hair'.
Andros shrugged and looked over at Maura again. She didn't even as much as glance in his direction, much less look at their newborn daughter. He already hated putting the girl into this universe more than before. He had been lucky enough Maura got pregnant very much the same way as she had with Cevil. He just hoped those three encounters would be the only ones.
"I'm sorry kid." He whispered softly. "You don't deserve this kind of life."
Earth
Josh sighed as he lifted one of the many heavy boxes.
"Are you really sure about this, Ash?" He asked one last time, knowing what the answer would be.
"Yes, I'm sure." Ashley laughed in reply. "And anyway, you're getting pretty serious with Atalya. It would be awkward to have us around much longer. I need to be out on my own again - and I've lived with you for six years now. It's time I started fending for my own. Not to mention how Chris and Chyler would cling to you too much; I know you wouldn't mind, but I would."
"You're right." Josh groaned, setting the box in the moving van. "But I'm still glad you're not moving too far from here."
"You're happy to see us go." Ashley retorted.
"Just call when you need anything. Promise?" Josh begged, not denying Ashley's statement.
"Promise." Ashley smiled. "Well, those were the last boxes. We get go to my new apartment, you get to unload the van and then go shopping for that study of yours."
Josh groaned quietly and shook his head.
"Don't remind me. Study AND guestroom, although that last one is fairly easy. I don't have to redecorate your old room, just new furniture. Study is more work."
"I thought you said kiddie-wallpaper was inspiring?" Ashley teased lightly.
Josh grumbled good-naturally in reply and got into the van.
"I'll see you there." He told Ashley and drove off.
A year later
"You didn't say it would take this long." Maura complained.
"I was only gone for six months." Andros grumbled in reply. "And I told you it would probably take this long, longer even. We already had to attack earlier than planned. TJ wasn't at all happy being pulled away from his wife and son."
"You didn't seem to mind so much." Maura accused. "You've got a duty as a father and husband, Andros. You should start taking it serious."
"I have no duty in this marriage what so ever." Andros sneered. "If I remember correctly, I didn't get into this marriage by choice."
"Andros, 'darling', you wouldn't have gotten married otherwise. Everyone is just trying to do what's best for you and this is best for you." Maura replied non-too sweetly.
"I think I'll be the judge of that." Andros snapped.
"You lived years alone on a space ship with a frozen friend!" Maura retorted. "You cannot be held as a proper judge of situations. You just be the brawns like all red rangers and I'll be the brains for you."
"My brain functions just fine, thank you very much." Andros growled and pushed passed her, storming up stairs to his room and locking the door.
Moment's later the distinctive whining cries of Cevil filtered through the air. Maura's footsteps thundered past his room to calm down her precious little boy and disgust filled Andros, making him sick to his stomach.
That was his son whining, his son with Maura, his heir, his heir conceived with and carried, mothered and raised by Maura. The son he had gotten by sleeping with Maura, turning an act of love into something repulsive and sickening. He hadn't even done it once, but three times.
His stomach turned at the thought and memory of those three encounters and moments later he found his face hovering over the toilet emptying his stomach. It was as if the past seven years he had lived in a surreal daze that had now broken. Wave after wave was thrown out as his mind fully wrapped around and registered all that had happened since he had returned to KO-35 to welcome back his parents.
When his stomach had completely emptied itself and then some, he rinsed out his mouth more than once and stripped, weakly getting under a burning hot shower, washing away all sweat and dirt from his body, hoping in vain that the water would take every last memory of Maura with it down the drain too.
After his shower he towelled off, got into a clean pair of boxers and pyjama pants and collapsed on his bed, having just enough energy to get under the covers before falling into a deep sleep. Ashley entered his dream; the soft touch of her hands on his body and her sweet lips gently kissing his dispelled some of pain and heartache. She would be gone when he woke up, but at least in his dream they were each together with no one else in the equation.
A/N: Hope you liked it. Review.