Disclaimer: I don't own the Power Rangers or any of the movies mentioned in this chapter.
Chapter 21
Ashley rapped lightly on Andros's door, unsurprised when he didn't answer. He'd spent much of the last week hiding in his room, coming out occasionally to eat or lead them in battle.
"Andros, open the door," she insisted. "I want to talk to you for a minute."
There was no answer, and she kicked the door in frustration. "Andros!" she yelled. "Let me in!"
He didn't, but he did answer. "Go away, Ashley."
"No." She leaned against the door with a sigh. "If you don't want to talk to me, that's fine, but you've been locked up in your room for days. We're worried about you."
To her surprise, the door opened. Knowing that she might not have another chance, Ashley darted into the room, her heart breaking when she saw him. His locket hanging loose over his shirt, he lay on his side facing her, Karone's picture clutched in his hands.
"Go away," he whispered when she came closer. "I want to be alone."
"You shouldn't have let me in, then," Ashley said softly, and knelt by his side.
"I didn't," he muttered sullenly. "Go away."
"No." Ashley stayed right where she was, crouched on the floor. "Not until I know that you're okay."
"Ashley..." He held the picture frame closer to his chest, and closed his eyes. "Please go."
"Let me stay with you," she pleaded quietly, gently covering his hand with one of hers. "I won't make you talk if you don't want to."
He shook his head, curling up a little smaller. "I just want to be alone for awhile longer," he muttered. "Please."
His voice was different now, softer and more pleading. Ashley hesitated and then sighed.
"You and I are going out tomorrow night," she informed him, and stood. "I'll see you later."
"You shouldn't have let her in here." Andros glared at Deca reproachfully. "Don't make me reprogram you."
"You have made that threat repeatedly over the last two years," she reminded him. "I have yet to see any inclination on your part to follow through."
"Don't tempt me," he muttered. "Leave me alone."
"If I recall correctly, it was you who initiated this conversation." Deca sounded just a little bit smug as she added, "As to your first comment, I disagree."
It took him a moment to realize that she was referring to his refusal to see Ashley. "I wanted to be alone."
"May I ask why?" she inquired.
"No."
"It often helps to have a source of comfort during a grieving period," Deca remarked, her tone unusually gentle. "Are you certain that it is wise to isolate yourself from your friends?"
"Yes."
Her eye blinked at him reprovingly, and he sighed. Why would no one believe that he just wanted some time to deal with this on his own?
"What do you want me to do?" he demanded. "Cry on her shoulder?"
"You did once before," she reminded him. "It appeared to help you deal with your emotions."
"That was different," he muttered. He'd felt the need for release then, anything to make the pain eating at him go away. Now he was just... numb. He didn't feel like crying. He didn't feel like anything, really.
"I believe that it would still be beneficial," Deca insisted. "Even for a short time."
"I don't." He paused, and then added, "And I don't care what you're certified in that tells you otherwise, I want to be alone."
"I am certified in medical, psychological, and--"
"I know, I know," Andros cut her off.
Growling under his breath, he grabbed his blanket and pillow and stalked into his bathroom. The bathrooms were the only place that he could completely deactivate Deca's sensors, and he did so before wrapping the blanket around his shoulders and trying to make himself comfortable in the tub.
He half expected her to turn the water on out of spite, but she didn't. Sighing in relief, Andros drew the blanket up over his head and closed his eyes. Slowly, he fell into an uneasy sleep.
"I thought you wouldn't feel too much like doing anything," Ashley explained hesitantly, as they walked slowly towards her house. His hand was in hers, but he wasn't listening. "So I thought we could... watch a movie or something," she said with a shrug. "Whatever you want."
"Okay," he muttered, surprising her. He kept his eyes on his feet. "That sounds fine."
He didn't want to be here, she knew, and sighed. Maybe it would have been better not to drag him out... but then he would have just moped around on the Megaship the way he had been doing. Ashley gave his hand a squeeze as they cut across her yard to the door, not knowing how else to help him.
Silence greeted them as they stepped into the house, along with a gust of warm air. Ashley shrugged off her jacket, hanging it in the hall closet.
"My mom must have just left for work, then," she mused out loud. "If the heater's still on... Have you eaten yet? I'm hungry."
He shook his head no, following her into the kitchen without a word. He took a seat at the kitchen table and stared at his hands while Ashley rummaged through the refrigerator for something they could eat. Her mom had been working nights the last week, and Ashley and Jeff hadn't bothered to cook much at all. Eventually she managed to find some pasta that didn't look too questionable and stuck it in the microwave.
"Something to drink?" she offered, sitting down across from him when he shook his head. "How are you?"
The microwave beeped before he answered, but Ashley didn't get up. "I'm fine," he muttered. "I just..."
He didn't finish, his shoulders slumping in a sigh. She nodded slowly and went to dump the pasta into two bowls. They ate in silence, but he seemed to have at least something of an appetite and she supposed that was a good sign.
"Ashley?" he asked suddenly, for just one second catching her eye. "I..."
His voice died away, but he tried to smile at her. Ashley just nodded and reached for his hand, holding his fingers tightly between her own. "Living room might be more comfortable," she said after a moment of silence. "We can just sit if you want."
He nodded his head slowly, standing up to follow her. It felt too quiet as they crossed back through the dining room and front hall, their shoes making almost no noise on the carpet. Ashley flicked on a light and dropped down onto the couch, motioning for Andros to join her.
He frowned and for a moment, she thought that he would change his mind. Then he sat down stiffly next to her, his hands clenched in lap. Ashley didn't reach out to him this time, unsure of what she should do.
"Ash?" he ventured softly, startling her. "I... I'm sorry if I said anything to upset you yesterday."
She cocked her head at him curiously, frowning. "What?"
"When you came to talk to me," he said, noting her confusion. "I didn't want you there, and I... I know you only wanted to help."
"You only said that you wanted to be alone," she reminded him softly.
"Oh." He frowned to himself, and sighed. "It must have been Zhane that I was horrible to, then... I don't remember."
"Um..." Ashley bit her lip with a sigh. "About Zhane..."
"What?" He watched her worriedly, and she glanced down.
"He was sort of... dating her," she mumbled, staring down at her lap. "Before you ever came back."
"But..." Andros's voice trailed off as he stared at her, disbelief written across his face. "He--he would have told me."
"He was going to," she said softly. "But he was afraid of how you'd react and she... she wasn't sure that you were her brother."
"But--I--wait..." He frowned at her, shaking his head. "Why didn't you tell me?"
She didn't have an answer for him. Fury flickered across his face and she nearly cringed away from him guiltily, but it was gone as soon as it came. Andros lowered his head and gave a heavy sigh, his shoulders slumping.
"I guess it doesn't matter now," he muttered.
"Don't talk like that." Ashley laid one hand on his clenched fist, squeezing gently. "You'll get her back somehow, I know you will."
Her heart leapt hopefully when he nodded and she slid closer to him, laying her other hand on his shoulder. When he didn't protest, she draped her arm around him and silently pulled him close. He seemed to appreciate the hug more than anything she could have said; he relaxed, shifting into a more comfortable position on the couch.
"Thank you," he murmured into the silence, leaning his head against her shoulder.
Her only answer was to tighten her arms around him. Ashley stroked his hair with one hand and pressed a kiss to his forehead before resting her head on his. The warmth of his body was soothing against hers and it was almost pleasant to curl up with him. Ashley couldn't quite forget why she was holding him in the first place, and it spoiled the thought.
"You'll be okay," she muttered back. "We'll help you."
"I know."
He didn't speak after that, only tucking his head against her shoulder. Ashley smiled and kissed the top of his head, letting her eyes slide shut. For awhile, she just listened to him breathe, inhaling and exhaling slowly and evenly. Carefully shifting her head, she snuck a quick glance at him before letting her neck fall back. A smile touched her lips to see that his eyes were shut, and she hoped that he'd fallen asleep; she doubted that he'd had much of it in the last few days.
She closed her eyes again and she must have dozed off; the next thing she was fully aware of was her mother shaking her shoulder to wake her. Ashley blinked groggily, yawning.
"Wha... Huh?" she mumbled, feeling Andros's head still pillowed against her. "What time is it?"
"Three."
"In the morning?"
"Does it look like the middle of the afternoon?" Lisa yawned and shoved her hair back tiredly, shaking her head. "What's going on?"
"I... we fell asleep," Ashley muttered sheepishly, looking back at Andros. He hadn't moved, and she didn't want to wake him.
"I can see that."
"Mom..." Ashley shot her mother a pleading glance. "Can he stay here? Just for tonight, please?"
Lisa sighed. "Ashley..."
"I'll go up to my room," she promised quickly, anticipating the response. "I just don't want to wake him up."
Andros twitched then and she winced, lowering her voice. "It's a really long story," she added. "I'll explain it all to you in the morning."
Her mother rubbed her eyes with the heel of her palm, hesitating. "Don't let me catch you down here until morning," she relented, and Ashley beamed.
"I'll go to bed as soon as I get him a blanket," she whispered, and Lisa nodded.
"Get some sleep, Ashley."
Lisa left the room quietly while Ashley tried to settle Andros comfortably on the couch. Slowly, carefully, she unwound her arms from around him without waking him. Laying him down was more difficult and she wasn't entirely convinced that he didn't come at least partially awake, but she slipped the couch pillow beneath his head and left to find a blanket.
Returning with it, she covered him and crouched down at his side. Smiling a little, she brushed stray hairs out of his face, and sighed. He looked smaller now, more vulnerable, and she wanted just to keep holding him until everything was okay again.
"Night," she whispered, pressing a kiss to his forehead. "I'll see you in a few hours."
Ashley bit her lip as she straightened up, words on the tip of her tongue. She'd meant to tell him days ago, but after Karone had been taken again, it hadn't seemed right. But he was asleep now; he wouldn't hear, and she needed to say it.
"I love you," she whispered, as quietly as she could. For a moment, she waited with bated breath, half hoping that he would wake. She wasn't sure whether to be relieved when he didn't so much as stir, and Ashley let out a long, slow sigh. Taking one last look at him, she headed up the stairs to her bed.
Author's Note: I really should stop promising to update more quickly because, clearly, it's not happening. I'll do the best that I can, but no promises. Hopefully, no more than three weeks without an update; I want this story finished sometime this... year? Heh.
It's been two years now since I first posted a story here, and I just have to say-- Thanks SO much for all of your reviews, they mean the world to me. You guys are the greatest. :)
