Disclaimer: Marieke: -pokes Maura with a stick-
Maura: Stop it.
Marieke: -pokes Maura with a branch-
Maura: I said 'stop it'.
Marieke: -pokes Maura with a tree.
Maura: STOP IT!
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: Wow, it's been ages since you were the first to review. It's 7.30 am, I'm tired, I want more sleep. I barely caught 5 hours… BUT THE WICKED WITCH OF THE SOUTH IS TALKING TO OUR NEXT DOOR NEIGHBOURS! HELLO! PEOPLE TRYING TO SLEEP YOU KNOW! IT'S A FREAKING SUNDAY MORNING! WE HAVE OUR RIGHTS TO YOU KNOW! Okay… now I've ranted about that. Yay! Danne's ears were pierced yeah, can't go around without them and it was a day after.
Jason O. W.: Yes, Josh knows who he's got in front of him and that he's the twin's father. I'll root for you once Madi.
BellaCordelia: Don't worry, Josh and Andros will get along great.
Lady Kimiko: I'm fainting every time I reach another 100, especially when I notice the amount of chapters between them… or at least… the lack of it. Yeah… I think I still need to mention the pierced state of the twins ears somewhere… in the sequel… It can wait. Josh can't blow his cover or Ashley'll kill him.
Zeopurple: Andros loves his little sunshine. Andros will find out a way to proof it… in a few years… He could mention it… and then find himself flying at top speed to the nearest black hole… without a shuttle, courtesy of Ashley.
Lavonne Adams: Yeah, aren't those two examples of the male species great when put together?
Star Fata: Yeah… well… you'll probably love this just as much. Yeah, lot of girls in the story… and a lot of C's: Chris, Chyler, Cero, Cevil… Eventually… it will lead him to Ashley somehow.
Johnny: And Josh would feel the wrath of an angry yellow ranger mother… trust me… he made the right choice. I wish he could be with Chris and Chyler too, but the plot doesn't let him.
DarkHonda: Chyler will love the bracelet. You'll see. Maura can go eat herself… she'd do us all a favour.
SSL: That, you'll just have to wait and see.
Slytherin-Angel44: Well, that's still a few chapters away, but we're getting there. Chris and Chyler are 10 right now. Yay Voldie! Go Voldie! We love you Voldie!
Juzblue: Long time no seen! You're name brought a smile to my face. No, Josh can't tell him or he's dead meat. This soon enough?
The-power-of-love: Here's more.
SweetSas: No… you can't have him! No he won't… he likes to live. When I get those apples, I'll send you a whole truckload of them.
DizneeDol: Yeah, well, you know little children, very big blabbermouths.
PhoenixGuardianEmaku: Yes, that's the very same Josh. The one and only Josh. It's Ashley's Josh alright.
C.C.C.: Danne can't keep her mouth shut around Andros, he'll find out anything from her. He can't tell Andros about Ashley… He doesn't want to die just yet.
Dragoneyes5000: Read and your one question will be answered. Yeah, we're getting closer to the reunion, don't worry about that. And Josh and Andros are definitely becoming friends.
DracoWolf88: Here's more… have a cookie.
Arwennicole: That's okay, really… I saw your review before turning in for the night… but I missed you… ask Phantom… I just kept randomly screaming 'I WANT ARWEN' in the im. I was even sourly tempted not to update if you hadn't reviewed. Danne might as well have been Ashley's daughter, it doesn't make a difference to Andros. He loves his daughter and he'll do anything for her. Just a few more chapters and they'll meet.
JDPhoenix: Just a few more chapters and he'll meet her… yeah… if that's what you want to hear for soon…
Mita427: Andros good daddy.
Mz. Daydream: Yeah, you're all smart. Josh and Andros will definitely be considering each other friends. Sleep… sounds good… - points up to her reply to Rosa- I want double of it.
Secrets Untold
Chapter 24: Chance Encounters 2
Ashley smiled down at little Janie. The baby girl was now three months old and had grown rapidly during those three months in Neonatal. Soon she would be released, but Ashley was still desperately looking for a foster family. Right now Janie was eagerly drowning another bottle.
"Dr. Hammond?" A nurse asked as she carefully walked over. "The adoption agency is here and would like to talk to you. I believe they have another candidate for Janie."
Ashley nodded and handed the girl over to the nurse to finish feeding, before reluctantly returning to her office to make the final decision about the new candidate. Though every single family had been screened thoroughly, she had never found them fit to care for Janie, obviously underestimating the intensity of the care for a deaf child.
She frowned a little when she noticed the two, by now too familiar, people standing outside of her office.
"How many times have I told you, you can just wait in my office you know?" Ashley sighed.
"The candidate is." The woman of the two answered. "She wanted to be judged by you without us there."
"Works for me." Ashley shrugged before pausing. "Did you say candidate, as in only one person?" She inquired.
"Yes, but she seems to be fully equipped to handle it." The man replied, handing over the files. "Her name is Kimberly Ann Hart. She's a retired gymnast, won a Pan Global gold medal, so she made some good money doing that. Now she's working as a secretary for a fairly large company here in Miami. She is only required to be in the office when her employer is, but she does get paid for a full job."
"Well, it sounds almost too perfect." Ashley sighed. "Alright, I'll go in and talk to her."
Ashley went into her office and looked at the woman sitting at her desk. She was wearing a grey knee-length skirt with watching jacket and a pale pink button-up blouse. Overall she made a good impression, but a bit too good an impression for Ashley's liking.
"Hi, Miss Hart? I'm Dr. Ashley Hammond." Ashley introduced herself, shaking the woman's hand before sitting down behind her desk.
"Please, Dr. Hammond, call me Kim - everyone does." Kimberly replied. "I hope I'm not too overdressed for this, I came here during my lunch break." She explained a bit ruefully.
"Call me Ash." Ashley's face lightened. "How much longer is your lunch break?"
"Half an hour, but I can stretch it to fifteen minutes longer. Why?" Kim asked curiously.
"How about we talk it over some food so you actually have a lunch break?" Ashley suggested. "And a diner or café is much better than a stuffy office."
"Sounds good to me; I know this really great place. I've been coming there since I started training here. It's a bit tacky and you really shouldn't mind the service, but the food is great."
"You wouldn't happen to be talking about Joe's diner, are you?"
"Yes." Kim's face brightened. "Do you know it?"
"I worked there." Ashley grumbled a little. "But you're right, the food is great."
"Worked there?" Kim raised an eyebrow.
"I started college a year later because I had gotten myself pregnant." Ashley sighed, somehow finding herself trusting this complete stranger with her story. "I ended up being fired there because of it too. The guys didn't like 'the looks' of pregnant ol' me, or so the boss said."
"That sucks." Kim agreed simply as they got up.
Ashley waved at the adoption agency people that they were all right as she signed out.
Half an hour later
"Well, you make a good impression." Ashley admitted. "But do you know how intense taking care of a deaf child can be? Between the hearing aids, speech therapy and sign language, you'll hardly have any time for yourself left."
"I've worked with a deaf girl before." Kim replied. "Back when I still lived in Angel Grove I gave aerobic-dance classes and there was a deaf girl in my class. Okay, so she was about my age, but I did learn sign language already. It might be a bit rusty, but I could brush up with some courses."
"Well, to be honest, you're more than I could have ever wished for Janie." Ashley smiled. "And you're from Angel Grove?"
"Originally, yes. I moved here to train for the Pan Globals and, well, I just didn't have anything to return to when it was over." Kimberly shrugged.
Ashley wracked her brain staring at Kimberly intently until the other started shifting uncomfortably.
"Oh, sorry." Ashley offered a little embarrassed. "Hey, you wouldn't by any chance have classes with a guy named Jeff Hammond, would you?"
"Um… only Math, I think. Why?"
An amused smile appeared on Ashley's face and she shook her head.
"He's my brother."
A week later
"Look Janie, here's your new mommy." Ashley smiled, handing the baby over to Kimberly.
"Would you mind if I changed her name?" Kimberly asked hesitantly and Ashley laughed, shaking her head.
"No, of course not. We named her Janie because she didn't have a name and we couldn't keep calling her baby girl either."
Kimberly smiled and looked down at the baby in her arms.
"So what are you going to name her?" Ashley inquired.
"Jenny." Kimberly replied happily. "It's not so different from Janie."
"Not too different, no." Ashley laughed.
"Jenny Olivia Hart." Her voice was tender and already filled with motherly love for little Jenny.
"Cute." Ashley agreed. "Don't be a stranger, Kim. I'm not starting those sign language courses for nothing."
Kimberly laughed at that and shook her head.
"Don't worry, I decided to change doctors. I feel it's better for this little one-" She motioned to the baby in her arms "- if we had the same doctor and since you've been so great to her these past few months, as the nurses told me, it would be a shame to take her away from you now."
"Take care." Ashley smiled and waved as they left.
She stared after them, even though she couldn't even see them anymore. She couldn't be happier about Jenny's new mother or her newfound friend. Kim seemed rather happy too to have found someone from Angel Grove to swap stories with and somehow, they always ended up talking about the Power Rangers. It was ironic, Ashley decided, she could leave anything behind, but the Power always found a way to sneak up on her again.
Suddenly her pager beeped and she looked at it, seeing the ER needed her.
"I'll be right there, Tracy." She muttered to herself with a faint sigh. "Duty calls."
A/N: Hope you liked it! Review.