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.
Arwennicole: Well, this happens next, even though they both should know better!
Phantom Rogue: Yeah, FINALLY! I got there! He's definitely cute being miserable, but I thing he's got a right to be happy now.
Johnny: Yeah, they've got so much too talk about… it just had to be another chapter. Yes, Tracy is one of Ashley's best friends since coming here. Chris, being the man of the house, is very protective of his mom and sister. Ashley's not specifically upset with Andros, she's just upset in general. Don't worry about Jenny, I can handle her. She's only got the last few chapters, so I'll be able to update for another while.
DizneeDol: Yeah, Lynette got told! Here's more!
Lady Kimiko: Of course they're not trying to rip each others heads off, they both love each other. Can I knock some sense into your Andros and Ashley with my imaginary baseball bat?
SweetSas: Yeah, finally you might add. Just read and see. Glad you liked it in Leiden. Three more days and I'm out of here!
Star Fata: Yeah, a whole lot of reviews and there are still being add to it! I'm leaving this Friday, so… Wait no longer!
Megarider: Yeah, you posted 600. Glad you like the chapter, love this one.
Piper xox Leo: Well, this. Trust me, it's worth the extra wait.
Kamali Shen: Thank you so much.
DarkHonda: Yes… at first.
SSL: Because it's fun!
ChaosRanger: Glad you like it, there's still so much more to come.
Jessica01: Like they would ever fight.
JDPhoenix: Yeah, good of me, isn't it? There's a whole lot more until this is solved.
Zeopurple: He's not truly mad at them, just really frustrated and taking it out on them. You'll see.
Tay: Yeah, it wasn't really that hard once he had all the facts. They'll come very clean.
DracoWolf88: Thanks. Wow… I'm speechless.
The-power-of-love: Glad you like them. Enjoy.
Jenny: That was very close. How about you won't find an update for this one tomorrow? Now gimme those chapters! And write that wonderful new story of you!
Dragoneyes5000: Well, here's the chat, that's the most important thing to be happening right now… right? No cliffy this time.
PhoenixGuardianEmaku: Yes, everything is working out!
Slytherin-Angel44: Yeah, Lynette got put in place. Don't fear, the next chapter is here!
Aka-chan: Oh, don't worry, I've got it complete on my computer… before even the half of this story was posted. It will finish.
C.C.C.: Yeah, cliffies are fun to write! How I could do that? Easy? Just read, your questions will be answered. Nope, I need Lynette. Tracy? She's always known, and no, no one else can find out because for all they know, Chris got his power from Ash too, it's a twin thing.
Mita427: Yeah, finally!
Enigmaforum: Glad you liked the chapters. Yeah, they need this talk…
Anyabarl1987: Wow, thanks. I'm honoured I managed to catch your interest with my story like that. No, I hadn't given myself a pat yet, but I surely will and I'm already treating myself. Leaving to Ireland for a few days this Friday… and leaving you all in suspense what's going to happen next. Enjoy this chapter. I'm sure you'll love it.
Charmedfun: Glad things got straightened out for you. Enjoy!
Secrets Untold
Chapter 33: Reconnecting
"When I arrived at KO-35, my parents caught me off guard with Maura. It took us all a day to realise that what was going on was real. We did everything we could to protest, but they kept cutting us off. Next thing I knew, I was married to Maura. My life has been hell ever since." He told her softly. "I never ever wanted this, Ash."
"You look pretty comfortable." Ashley told him, looking away, and he sighed.
"It's my daughter." He replied. "I was forced to have both Cevil and her. I 'needed' an heir, according to my mother. God, I was so happy when Maura found she was expecting a boy the first time around. I thought it was over with that. The future of my morpher was ensured and that would be the end of it. Then my mother decided we didn't get enough attention in the media, not like Zhane and Karone were getting with their kids. My daughter was born and Maura immediately ignored her. Cevil has always been more important to her. She's been babying him, corrupting and bribing him, spoiling him rotten since the day he was born. The universe is doomed the day he gets handed my morpher."
Ashley looked away so he wouldn't see the tears in her eyes.
"You're all I've ever wanted, Ash." He assured her quietly. "I just needed you to know you're the only one I've ever loved and the only one I will ever love. I'm sorry things didn't work out between us. I'll go now."
"They're yours." Ashley whispered softly as he stood up.
She didn't know why she did it, but somehow she felt like she owed him, had to tell him and keep him around for just a little longer.
"What?" Andros replied confused.
"Chris and Chyler." Ashley elaborated. "They're yours."
"How?" Andros asked stunned.
"I was pregnant when you left. I didn't find out until the day before your… wedding. I was going to tell you when you came back, but…" She smiled faintly. "I couldn't help it. I snuck out in the middle of the night and got myself a private shuttle to KO-35, hyper rush 3. I was just in time to catch our ceremonial kiss. I rushed back home and cried my guts out. I really thought you had betrayed me back then. I found the acceptance letter to a Miami college in the mail and…" She looked up at him with pleading eyes. "I just had to get away. I was so scared that I would lose my baby to you in a custody battle if you ever found out. I would have been a lost case – I mean, a struggling single mom compared to a well-off married man? If I had had a boy…"
"I understand… I… I'm sorry" Andros responded, suppressing the urge to reach out to her.
"I ran into Josh here. I wasn't doing very well. I got a year off, but I would still have to start college with a newborn – two, but I didn't know at the time - and I was barely able to provide for myself. I wouldn't have been able to support my baby when he or she was born. Josh took me in. He was there for me when I found out I was having twins. He told me about the betrothing tradition when I was about eight months along. You can't even start to imagine what a relief that was to me. He was there for me when I had Chris and Chyler and we lived with him until they were five - by then I was able to support both them and me. They were eight when we moved in here, thanks to my late grandmother and Jeff's generosity. I managed to become a doctor and the rest you can pretty much guess."
"I wish I could have been here for you." Andros sighed, this time he couldn't stop himself as he took Ashley's hand into his. "I would never allow anyone to take them from you, never."
Ashley looked at him and smiled sadly as tears rolled down her cheeks.
"No, but your mother might betroth and marry them too." Ashley choked out. "I don't want that for them. I don't want them to go through that."
"I refuse to let them go through this misery I'm in." Andros promised her, gently pulling her into a hug slow enough for her to protest against it. "I felt so dirty. I loved you so much and yet I had sex with a total stranger, just because I was forced to marry her. Then I was even forced to have children with her. I could cry every time I had to do that, Ash. God knows I did for hours afterwards. It even managed to empty my stomach on several occasions."
Ashley's arms wrapped around him, clinging to him as her tears fell faster.
"I was lucky Maura seemed to get pregnant easily." He confided in her. "I only had to sleep with her three times, but those nights were the worst in my whole life. Now she's been cheating on me for years, but I can't divorce her because I have no proof."
"Only those three nights?" Ashley inquired softly, nearly stunned.
"Yeah, and every single one of them I wished I spend with you, every other I dreamed of you."
Ashley pulled back and for a moment Andros thought he had said too much. Then she fingered a bracelet on her wrist.
"I never took it off." She told him sadly, pulling something out from under her shirt.
His eyes widened when he recognized the first present he'd ever given to her: her necklace. Yet that wasn't all, next to the pendant a slim silver band hung from the chain; her engagement ring.
"I never could quite let you go." She told him, rubbing at her tears. "They had a father, even though you weren't with us. Remember that time you told me that Karovan fairytale? I had Deca put it on a data disk for me. It's been their bedtime story since the day they were born. I never told them a bad word about you and I taught them how to control their telekinesis, telepathy and ghosting."
"Ghosting?" Andros asked surprised. "They know how to ghost?"
"Every day." Ashley replied sadly. "I can't have them walking around with dual toned hair and deny who they are. But it pains me to see them without it. That they have to hide because of KO-35's screwed traditions."
"I love you, Ash." Andros told her boldly. "I never stopped."
"So do I." Ashley answered with a sigh. "I love you and my babies more than anything… I could never stop loving you, ever."
Gently Andros leaned in, tenderly kissing her tears away before claiming her lips in a soft kiss. The gentleness didn't last long and soon he found Ashley trapped beneath him. Their kisses had grown more passionate, carrying them back to a time they had no worries. Andros groaned when Ashley broke the kiss, pushing him back.
"My bedroom is just up the stairs you know." She informed him, innocently but suggestively.
Andros grinned. Not about to decline the offer, he scooped her up and carried her to her bedroom, after some teasing suggestions they use the bathroom when he wandered the wrong way. Her touch was enough to dispel every memory of Maura's touch as they both were carried off into their own world together.
Hours later
"Andros?"
Andros grumbled when his sister's mental voice entered his mind.
"What?" He replied irritated, shaking his head at Ashley's questioning eyes.
"Dad's stable enough for transport. We're leaving in the morning. I just thought you might like to know. Have time to get your stuff packed and all…"
"It's been packed since we left KO-35." He informed her grumpily.
"Um… okay, well, we'll see you in the morning then." Karone sounded a bit disappointed, and a little hurt at his indifference. "Don't do anything stupid, okay?"
"Sure… and Karone?"
"Yes?"
"I'm sorry for taking it out on you and Zhane."
"That's okay, you've been having a hard time. We'll talk about it later?"
"Yeah, sleep tight."
"You too." Karone's voice had cheered up a little.
"What's wrong?" Ashley whispered.
"We're leaving tomorrow." Andros told her sadly.
Ashley pressed her lips to his in a silent answer, comforting him more than anything else ever could.
"I'll still be here." She promised him, stroking his hair. "And we still got tonight. Don't spoil it by being sad. If we're meant to be, we'll see each other again… but for now… our paths split again."
"I'll always love you, don't you ever forget that. And let Chris and Chyler know I'm sorry I wasn't there for them and I can't be now. I promise to make it up to them. Someday. Someday we'll be together forever and from that day, nothing will come between us, ever."
Ashley smiled and nuzzled close to him and slowly drifted off to sleep with his promise of forever… Someday.
A/N: Yay! I got to the fun point! Hope you liked it! Review!