Chapter 8: Heartache

Ashley sat in the bathroom at the dress shop. She held her stomach and just threw up. "What's wrong with me?" She asked. She pressed her forehead against the cold wall.

"Ashley you ok?" Cassie called.

Cassie opened the door and gasped to see her best friend sitting on the floor with her head practically in the toilet. "Ashley!" She gasped. She kneeled beside her and held Ashley's hair back. Ashley sat back and groaned.

"I've been feeling like this for weeks. I can't be getting sick," Ashley groaned.

Cassie rubbed her back. "You're okay," Cassie assured her.

"My wedding's in a couple of days," Ashley reminded.

"You're okay," Cassie assured her. Ashley placed her head in Cassie's lap and let out a sob. "First I lost Andros and I thought I loved Mark but then Andros comes back," Ashley babbled. Ashley let out another sob. "I slept with Andros," she confessed. Cassie sighed, she wasn't really surprised.

"YOU WHAT!?" Denise shouted.

Ashley sat up and wiped her tears away. "I slept with Andros," Ashley repeated.

"How could you do that!? Ashley LeAnn! I can't believe you did that!" Denise scolded.

"It was my choice not yours. I'm going to break off the engagement."

"You will not!"

Denise grabbed Ashley's arm. "You will marry this boy and you will say the baby is his," she snapped.

"Mom I can't do that to Mark…" Ashley started.

"You listen to me. I took care of you like a little princess. You stop your whining I took care of you and now it's time for you to take care of me," she snapped.

Ashley bit her lip and leaned against the wall. "You will marry this boy," she hissed. Ashley lowered her head slightly.

"Ashley…" Cassie started.

"No, Cass, don't."

Ashley left the bathroom and she changed out of her wedding dress.

Once Ashley changed, she ran out of the dress shop and just kept running. She didn't care where and she didn't care how far. She just wanted to run from it all.

(The Beach)

Ashley came to the empty beach. She took off her shoes and her nylons. She left the left one the sand and she walked into the water. She was knee high in the water and she lowered her head slightly. She placed her hand on her stomach and she let out a sob. "Ashley," a voice called. Ashley looked over her shoulder and saw Greg standing there. "Your mother called my cell phone just yelling at me," he informed. Ashley got out of the water and she hugged her father tight. "Sweetheart what is it?" He asked.

"Dad, something's happened," she replied.

She pulled back with tears falling down her face. "I'm pregnant," she informed. Greg looked at her in shock. "And it isn't Mark's," she added. She sat down in the sand. "I slept with Andros a couple of months ago," she sobbed. Greg sat next to his daughter. "I still have to marry Mark," she added.

"Says who? Your mother?" He asked.

Ashley was silent. "Sweetheart, your mother just wants the money," he informed. Ashley stared at the sand.

"Dad…Andros is gone…my baby needs a father," she answered.

Greg wrapped his arm around his daughter. "Sweetheart, you don't have to do anything," he assured her. Ashley sobbed against him.

"I want Andros," she sobbed.

Greg sighed and kissed the top of her head. "I know," he answered. She buried her head into his shoulder.

That night, Ashley was asleep while Greg was taking care of her. Greg had placed an extra blanket around her and he kissed the side of her head. He stood back and just looked at his sleeping daughter. He rubbed his forehead and let out a sigh.

(Flashback)

Greg was working on things in the house when he heard crying from the backyard. Jeff ran outside. "DAD! DAD! ASHLEY FELL OFF THE SWINGS!" Jeff shouted. Greg dropped his stuff and ran outside.

Greg found his three-year-old on the grass crying her heart out. He picked his little girl up. "What happened sweetie?" He asked.

"The chain broke," Ashley sobbed.

Greg looked over at the broken swing set. "Let's get you inside," he murmured.

Greg set Ashley on the counter and looked at the scrapes on her arm and leg. "This will sting sweetie," he told her. He cleaned out her scrapes. He then kissed the cuts before putting a band-aid over them. "There all better," he told her.

"Thanks daddy," she answered.

She kissed his cheek and she ran outside to play again. Greg watched her with a smile on his face.

(End Flashback)

"No band-aid can fix this one," he murmured. He stroked his daughter's hair and kissed her cheek. "I've got to find that boy," he muttered.

(Megaship: Next Evening)

Andros sighed as he watched the other Red Rangers head back to their respective homes. He turned to go back on the ship when a speeding red convertible drove up. "ANDROS!" A voice called from the car. An older man got out of the car. "Are you General Andros of KO-35?" He asked.

"Yes," Andros replied.

"Greg Hammond, I'm Ashley's father."

Andros was in disbelief. "And you sir, need to help my daughter from making the biggest mistake of her life," he informed.

"What?" Andros asked.

"My daughter is in love with you, Andros. The only reason why she's marrying Mark now is because you're nowhere insight."

Andros stood there in shock. "My daughter is in love with you and I need you to come back with me to stop this wedding from taking place," he informed.