Summary: 'You're the only truth I know, you're the road back home.' After years apart, Andros and Ashley can finally start building their life together with their children. Sequel to Secrets Untold.
Lavonne Adams: Oh, Chyler will get a boyfriend too and it's rather fun how I get to torture her with it too.
PrettyDiva: This soon enough? Glad you liked the chapter.
Slytherin-Angel44: Here's the next, no need to wait any longer.
Star Fata: You're lucky, hope you had fun shopping. I definitely had fun, but the beds were just evil.
Phantom Rogue: Oh, Chris is a great boyfriend. Yeah, Andros started a snowball fight.
SweetSas: Well, it's not the kiss that made them boyfriend/girlfriend, it just sealed the deal. I hope to see you online soon, I want to hear this story. I went to Virton in the Belgium Ardennes.
C.C.C.: Yeah, that's why I put that in. They're fun together. Chris and Leigh are well on their way of being the next Andros and Ash.
Johnny: Yeah, Chris definitely has a lot of Andros in him, but he's bolder when it comes to girls. It was obvious Leigh was going to be Chris's girlfriend, since I introduced her to the story to be. Chyler's boyfriend will be more complicated for her.
Jenny: Yeah, fanfiction was being a bother, as it is being again now. Yeah, Chris and Leigh are cute, that's why their in this story! Nope, I still got totally new ideas and I really should talk to you on aim again sometime soon. Shoot Math.
Zeopurple: Yeah.
PhoenixGuardianEmaku: Yeah, I definitely did, I'm still so proud I know your penname by heart and then I couldn't type it because there were no reviews. It's not creepy Chris knows actually. They're a twin, he's lived with only her and his mother for most of his life and the two are really close. Besides that, he kinda could figure it out when she became grumpy once a month. But I agree with you… my bro really doesn't need to know.
Megarider: It's okay, really. Glad you liked the chapters. Here's more.
Mita427: School sucks, fanfiction rocks! I mean, it's fanfiction that taught me English mostly, not school.
The-power-of-love: Here's that update.
Jessica01: Thanks.
Alexandra Khayman: -drools- Yeah, he's cute when he's in love. Snows good! I practically see at least some of it every year.
Mz. Daydream: You'll like Leigh even more after this chapter. Andros and Ash will love Leigh and Chris getting together. Just read and you'll find out why.
Dragoneyes5000: Yeah, well, Leigh's mom never was too happy about the betrothal and it's not the first time Jarnyr was caught. Glad you liked the A/A-moment.
Living Truth
Chapter 12: Couldn't Be Better
"Andros, since when did your cooking become this good?" Ashley demanded with a happy sigh as she picked the last bite of lasagne from her plate and popping it into her mouth. "I thought it was impossible to cook better than heavenly."
"Yeah, well I have to make being snowed in with you durable somehow." Andros joked, glancing over at the thick layer of snow packed up against the outside of the window.
"I could think of some other things." Ashley grinned mischievously.
Andros looked over at her. A picnic blanket was spread out between them, on it an empty dish that until recently had been filled with his homemade lasagne, two dirty plates and some silverware. Next to them an open fire was cheerfully burning the logs in the fireplace, keeping the room warm and comfortable.
"Not next to dirty dishes." Andros told her calmly. "They'd be looking too demanding when we wake up and they're the first things we see."
The dishes suddenly decided they wanted to fly and gently floated towards the kitchen. Ashley grinned and crawled over the picnic blanket, placing a gentle kiss on his lips. As his arms slipped around her waist as they slowly rolled backwards onto the floor, he decided he might just enjoy being snowed in this way.
KO-35
"Oh, come on, Chris. Don't tell me you're shy! My parents just want to meet you, that's all." Leigh laughed, pulling on his arm.
"With that betrothing tradition still going around the colony, I can't help but feel like I'm marrying you already." Chris sighed sheepishly.
"Silly, my mom's one of the first people openly supporting the choice not to betroth Elia." Leigh told him matter-of-factly, lacing their fingers. "Don't worry so much, they'll love you."
"They don't know who I am, do they?" Chris asked sceptically.
"Not exactly." Leigh admitted sheepishly. "But that shouldn't matter, Chris!"
"That's what you say." Chris sighed. "Some people just pretend to like me and Chyler because of what we are, not who."
"Chris, they're not like that. Please?" Leigh pouted with begging eyes.
"I didn't say I wasn't going." Chris defended. "I just said I was going to be on my guard."
"Fine." Leigh sighed, dragging him along. "Now move willingly."
Chris did, and all too soon for his liking, she dragged him into the backyard of a rather small looking white house. A slight shriek from one of the open windows of the second floor caught his attention and he saw a head ducking away.
"Don't mind her, that's just my younger sister Dyar. She's crazy." Leigh shrugged.
"Is your whole family like that?" Chris inquired tentatively.
"No, not really." Leigh laughed, gently tugging on his hand. "Come on."
Just then the back door opened and a young boy came dashing out, happily shrieking Leigh's name as he launched into her arms. Leigh laughed happily and hugged the boy. Then she turned to Chris and smiled.
"Pandacos." She told him simply. "My brother."
The boy looked up at Chris with bright green eyes and smiled. He held out his arms silently for Chris. Unsure what to do, Chris looked over at Leigh to see her smile encouragingly. With a sigh he took the boy from Leigh's arms. Pandacos grinned and happily wrapped his arms around Chris's neck for support.
"You're almost as cute as my little brother." Chris concluded. "Any chance you got an age?"
"Six." Pandacos told him proudly, holding up his podgy fingers.
"Leigh? Leigh, is that you?" A woman's voice called from inside of the house.
Leigh pried her brother out of Chris's arms and set him back on the ground.
"Yeah, it's me. I brought a friend." Leigh called back, taking Chris's hand and dragging him behind her into the house.
Chris found himself in a small cosy kitchen and slowly found himself relaxing. The smelling hanging around reminded him of home and suddenly he felt a small pang of homesickness. A woman walked into the kitchen and smiled warmly at him. Blond locks of hair highlighted with auburn framed her face and blue-green eyes sparkled at him.
"Hello, you must be Chris." The woman smiled, shaking his hand. "Leigh's been telling a lot about you. Can't keep her mouth shut in fact."
"Mom!" Leigh whined, blushing furiously red.
Encouraged though, Chris smiled even brighter.
"Thanks, uh, ma'am."
"Please, none of this madam, ma'am stuff – call me Danne."
At the name Chris's eyes widened, and he inhaled sharply. On one night just before Noah was born, they had all been sitting around in the living room, suggesting names for their baby brother (or sister at that time). Eventually they had hit the subject of how they had been named.
Danne couldn't have been happier to know that from the moment she was born, she had been linked to Ashley. Maybe not intentionally, but it comforted her none the less.
"That's my sister's name." Chris started softly.
"I know." Danne smiled warmly at him. "I met your parents. Your mother was absolutely beaming when she told me she was engaged to your father. I was happy for them, they didn't need that betrothing tradition to find happiness. It rather shocked me that three months later your father was suddenly getting married to Maura. I think, having seen him with your mother, that I was the only one next to your aunt and uncle that could see how truly miserable this was."
Chris nodded softly, remembering the broken man he saw when he first saw his father in person. He was glad there was not a trace of that empty shell left now.
"Imagine the shock for the colony when suddenly two children of your dad's popped up, not only having claimed his morpher." Danne smiled, eyeing the small cloaked devise on Chris's wrist. "But also claimed him from his family."
"He's happy." Chris shrugged. "What the colony thinks doesn't bother him anymore."
"And he deserves it." Danne smiled. "Now, I heard some rumours your mom was pregnant when they got married."
"Andros Noah Hammond." Chris grinned. "Noah was born just over three and a half months ago. He's adorable. Mom and dad's second chance."
"One they truly deserve." Danne agreed. "You be good to my baby girl and send your parents my regards when you get back home."
"I will." Chris promised, smiling and slipping his hand back in Leigh's when he noticed she had let go of his some time ago.
Life couldn't get any better then this.
A/N: Hope you liked it. Review.
Sas this chapter is for you for posting review 200.