Do You Love Me?
Chapter Four: Secrets Are Told
Andros was confused the next morning. No he was beyond confused. He had gotten to where he really liked to spend time with Ashley. 'Almost too much' he thought as his mind drifted off into thought of a time before KO-35 fell.
"Come one Andros loosen up. You never enjoy life anymore." a male in a silver shirt said with a grin.
Andros just smirked at him and laid his head down on a pillow behind him.
"I'm serious Dros' you never do anything fun anymore since you became KO-35's Red Astro Ranger. In fact you never do anything with me since we became rangers." He said suspicion in his voice.
"I'm sorry love. You know how they are. I don't want to get you in trouble. You have your future ahead of you. I don't want to ruin it." Andros said softly caressing the other boy's hairless face.
Andros was brought out of his memory just as they where about to kiss. He turned around to chew out whoever interrupted him, when he saw it was Ashley.
"Hey Ash" Andros said as he motioned to the seat next to him.
"Hey Dros'. Mind if I ask what's wrong?" she asked softly, sitting down in the offered seat.
"Only if you tell me what had you at that punching bag so hard last month" he quipped.
She sighed although it was only fair. She didn't answer him for a while and Andros began to think that she would back out until she spoke.
"Sure" she said chewing on her hair slightly wondering where to begin.
Andros reading her thoughts spoke up.
"Start from the beginning." He said in a 'I could listen to you all night' tone.
She took a deep breath and began a story no one except her had known up until this night.
"Well start back when my mom died then. She was the only person I could go to for support. She loved me for who I was not what my "dad"" she said spitting out the word "not what he wanted me to be. He wanted me to be the best at everything. Then the accident happened. My mom was in a car wreck and the car was totaled. She died on impact. My father blamed me for the accident and started beating me. I didn't tell anyone because who could I tell?" she laughed bitterly. "The beatings got worse but there was one thing I though he wouldn't dare take from me. On my eleventh birthday I found out how wrong I was. We had a party like we always did as not to arouse suspension of my friends and our neighbors. After the party was over and everyone had left, the birthday present my dad hadn't set on the table was waiting for me. He said since I killed his wife I should take her place in the household. In every way. He almost killed me one time after he was through with me but I managed to beg for my life and keep it. Then I became a Turbo Ranger and almost died in a fight. Finally we are back to the present day. Meeting you a month ago and here we are now." She finished taking a ragged breath and began to cry.
Andros took a hold of her and let her cry on his shoulder until the tears stopped running and she had calmed down.
"Oh Ash. Why didn't you say anything before?" he asked as he stroked her hair.
"I didn't and don't want to appear weak. I know I am the weakest member of the team and because of that I work twice as hard to become second bet to you in only a month." She said offended.
"Ashley I don't see you as weak. You are very strong, brave, beautiful…." Andros trailed off her not believing that his mouth had betrayed him like that. Yeah he was thinking it, but he didn't mean to say it out loud.
"Your turn" she said softly as she backed away and sat back down in her chair, never realizing in the first place that she had stood.
Andros sighed but then nodded as he too sat back down into his chair.
"I guess my story begins back before KO-35 was destroyed. The other rangers and I were fighting the monsters as they came. Although it was nothing big. Zhane, who was my best friend at the time, and I where the only line of defense as Karone, my sister and the supposed future Astro Yellow Ranger, was kidnapped. That is why I am searching the galaxy to destroy Dark Spector and Astronema. Dark Spector took Karone. Anyway Zhane took a really bad hit. It put him in a coma. It devastated me. He was…" Andros paused looking in Ashley's mind for any hint that she would be jealous and found none. He continued slowly. "Zhane was my fiancée before he took that hit and entered a coma.' He raised his hand to deflect a hit but found none coming his way. Instead he found Ashley looking at him with a weird look in her eyes.
"Do you want to see him?" Andros asked treading carefully.
This shocked her.
"He's on the Mega Ship?" she asked shocked.
"Yes I couldn't just leave him somewhere. I loved him. I still love him" he said softly as he got up and walked down a few corridors with Ashley following him.
He stopped at a door she had never noticed before and typed in an access code.
"The access code is 6-5-9-8. Don't tell the others he is here, but I could use some help caring for him." Andros said stepping into the room with Ashley on his heels.
He paused at the coffin like cryogenic tube .
:"He's been in there for two years now Ash. I'm scared I'm going to lose him" Andros said softly.
"Oh Dros. I'll help you take care of him. When he comes out I will accept the two of you together if that is what you wish" she said with a finality in his voice.
"Ashley, I couldn't choose between the two of you. I love you both the same yet so different" he said softly as he turned off the light and they went back to the galley.