Disclaimer: As much as I would like for it to be, Power Rangers is not my creation.

Slytherin-Angel44: Hope this is worth the wait.

PernDragonrider: I know those problems. Here's more.

Ch. 9 Fight Among the Ranks

"What is it?" Tommy asked, sensing the distress in Andros' voice as well as his demeanor.

"Zordon's powers are being depleted," Andros began, trying to avoid the looks of disgust from the older rangers and the looks of concern from his friend's. "We haven't been able to get him off the Dark Fortress and I'm afraid if he's there much longer his powers along with him will be gone forever."

"Well," Tommy began, "if you would've found him sooner maybe he wouldn't be in this situation!" Andros felt himself shrink back at the ex-leader's tone but forced himself to maintain eye contact. "If you were any kind of leader you would've saved him a long time ago instead of worrying about your own problems!" Andros felt his temper flaring and tried to push it down but he couldn't, not when it came to Karone.

"Some things happen to be more important to me," he spat. "I've been looking for Karone a hell of a lot longer than I've been looking for Zordon. And what about you? You knew he'd been kidnapped. Why weren't you out there looking for him?"

"I have a family to take care of," the other ranger responded.

"So do I," Andros replied coolly before stalking off the Bridge. Ashley, Zhane, and Karone followed him closely, insuring that he wasn't doing anything to hurt himself. He made it to the Megalift before dropping to the floor. Ashley was at his side in an instant, pulling him into her arms. "Why don't they believe that we've been trying? I spend more time searching for Zordon than I do with my children. Now I'm a horrible ranger and father."

"Andros," his wife began firmly, "you're a great father. Definitely better than mine or yours and you're a great ranger. They're just upset right now. Give them some time."

"If it weren't for you it would have taken us a lot longer to find the sextuplets when they were taken," Zhane added as he and Karone sat down on his other side.

"And it would have taken longer to get me back without your help," Karone added.

"See?" Ashley questioned. "You're an excellent father and ranger."

"Speaking of being a father," DECA interrupted, "there's a group of children going crazy in the Observatory." It was only then that Andros and Ashley remembered their children hadn't been on the Bridge, but they knew DECA was capable of watching them. They jumped up from the ground and hurried onto the Megalift to see what kind of trouble six two-year-olds and two almost one-year-olds could get themselves into. They all broke into laughter at the sight of the children. While the twins were crawling around peacefully the sextuplets were making an absolute mess with Playdoh that had been left out while Michelle was trying to make them stop. When they finally noticed the adults, Brytan ran over to his father.

"Look, Daddy," he began, "we made the ship." When Andros looked at the form in the floor he had to admit that it did resemble the Megaship and a huge smile made its way to his face.

"Well," he began picking up Brytan and Tyran, "the next time I need a ship built I'll know who to come to."

"I helped," Michelle stated proudly. He placed his sons back on the floor and picked up his little sister, spinning her around in circles.

"You know what?" he asked and she shook her head. "It's been a while since just you and I went somewhere together. How would you feel about going out to lunch and maybe a movie tomorrow? Of course it'll be on the Simu-deck but…"

Michelle's eyes lit up as she interrupted excitedly, "Yeah!" Andros laughed and put her down before turning to his wife.

"I hope that's okay with you," he stated, looking at her with his big puppy dog eyes, the same ones her children gave her when they wanted something.

"Of course it is," she answered. "Now, we better get these children and get them cleaned up." Andros nodded and ran over, along with Michelle, to the twins, picking them up. "Cheaters," Ashley accused as she, Zhane, and Karone each picked up two of the remaining six children. Andros just smiled as he ran to the Megalift.

It took two hours to get all the children bathed, mostly because Andros and Ashley had been in dire need of showered half way through their eight children. After they had showered the four children that were already clean were dirty once again.

"You couldn't keep them clean?" Andros asked Zhane and Karone when he saw the state of his room.

"It's harder than you think," Zhane replied, doing his best to look sorry while he was fighting hard not to laugh. When they finally finished cleaning up the children they went to the Simu-deck for a nice, quiet, place for the children to play. They decided on the park quickly and Andros programmed it just how his children liked it, with big, tall slides and lots of swings. Karone and Zhane had come along to watch the children so Andros and Ashley could have a little alone time but mainly because they needed the practice. Although they hadn't told the other rangers, Karone was pregnant with twins. She and Zhane knew that Andros would never forgive them if he found out some other way but for now they didn't see why everyone needed to know.

It wasn't long until all nine of the children were tired and ready for bed. Michelle, who was sharing the room across from Andros' with the sextuplets, helped get them ready for bed while Andros and Ashley got the twins, who were still in the room with them, ready. It took a good thirty minutes for them all to be ready for bed but a bedtime story and a couple bottles later they were all sound asleep.

"I'm going to get a little something to eat," Andros stated as he rose from the bed. Ashley nodded, knowing that Tommy's earlier words were still bothering him. Andros walked quietly to the Bridge hoping to have some time alone so he and DECA could discuss some sort of plan to get Zordon back, but it was all ruined when he found Tommy and Kimberly sitting there with their son in her arms. "Do you need anything?" he asked, directing the question at Kimberly.

"No," she answered, looking back and forth between the two men, "but I think I'll take Collier back to bed now. Why don't you two talk?" She left the room quickly, not giving either of them time to answer or really comprehend the question.

"I'm sorry that I haven't brought Zordon back," Andros found himself saying although he had sworn that he wouldn't be the first to talk. "It's just been hard with eight kids and Darkonda trying to kidnap them every other week."

"I understand," Tommy answered, although he had yet to face the other ranger, "and I'm sorry about earlier. I know that if my children or any of my family were in danger everything else would be pushed out of the way. I didn't mean what I said."

"So, we're on the same team again?" Andros asked hopefully.

"Yeah," Tommy replied, smiling widely at the younger man, "we're on the same team."

A/N: Please Review!