Chapter 9: Like Old Times

Andros was working in the control room when he saw Ashley come in. He felt like he had eight years ago when he saw Ashley the first time. "How have you been, Ashley?" He asked. Ashley glanced at him and continued to do her work.

"Fine," she replied.

Ashley was trying to stay away from him after the way she left him five years ago. She wasn't sure if she could look him in the eye after that. She bit her lip as she tried to walk by him when Andros grabbed her arm. "Andros…don't," she murmured.

"Why did you leave, Ashley?" He asked.

Ashley bit her lip so hard she could almost taste the blood. She pulled his hand off her arm as if her arm was on fire. "Why?" He asked. Ashley looked at him with sad eyes.

"We're not allowed to be together, Andros. Your parents would've made us miserable," she replied.

"But why did you disappear?"

"Because I didn't want you to find me."

Ashley looked up when the alarms went off. "What's going on Kinwon?" Ashley asked. Kinwon walked over to the computers.

"Hashim is attacking in the park," he informed.

"On it," Andros answered.

Andros looked at the others. "Ready?" He asked. They nodded. "LET'S ROCKET!" He shouted. They morphed and ran out of the control room.

They ran into the park and they got the rest of the people out of there. "What do you want, Hashim?" Andros demanded. Hashim laughed when he threw a blast at Andros, knocking the Red Ranger off his feet.

"ANDROS!" Ashley shouted.

She ran over to him. "Are you okay?" She asked. Andros sat up slowly.

"Yeah," he replied.

Ashley looked over at Hashim and she pulled out at her Star Slinger. "STAR SLINGER!" She shouted. She shot at Hashim making the evil sorcerer. However, Hashim raised his sword and shot a blast at Ashley making her hit a tree hard.

"ASHLEY!" Andros shouted.

Andros ran over to her and saw an the burn on her stomach. "We have to get out of here," Andros told the others. Andros picked Ashley up and they ran back to the base.

(The Palace)

Later that evening, Andros was sitting in his room looking over some reports about Hashim. Learning about his newest enemy. He jumped when he felt a pair of hands on his shoulders. "You okay?" Adyna asked. Andros leaned back with a sigh.

"Yeah, I'm okay," he replied.

She rubbed his shoulders to try to get rid of the tension. "Must be hard to be working with her again," she commented. Andros rubbed the side of his head.

"You have no idea," he answered sadly.

Adyna saw the pain in his face as he spoke about Ashley. "Do you still love her?" She asked. Andros was silent for a minute.

"I'm not sure, I'm all confused now," he replied.

Andros looked at Adyna. "But, I promised to spend the rest of my life with you and I tend to keep that promise," he put in. Adyna placed a hand on his face with a smile.

"Talk to her, Andros, you two need to talk," she informed.

Andros nodded his head and kissed Adyna before watching her leave. Andros lied back on his bed and stared at the ceiling. He got up and went to talk to Ashley.

Andros walked into the infirmary and found Ashley sitting on her medical bed slowly pulling on her jacket. "Hey," he greeted. Ashley looked up at him.

"Hey," she answered.

"You okay?"

"It's just a scratch."

Things got a little awkward between them. "She seems nice," she commented. Andros rubbed the back of his neck.

"Yeah, Adyna's a great girl," he answered.

"Well as long as you're happy."

Ashely slowly got up from the medical bed. "I'll see you tomorrow, Andros," she stated.

"Goodnight, Ash," he answered.

Andros watched her go and he kicked the medical bed, cursing under his breath.

Ashley came to her quarters and she fell back on her bed with tears falling down her face. She buried her head into her pillow and cried. "I'm too late, I'm too late," she sobbed. Soon, she had cried herself to sleep.