Never Let Go

Disclaimer: I don't own the Power Rangers.

Summary: Sequel to "Can't Let Go." Read that first. After tragedy strikes, can Ashley and Andros find their way back to each other.

Monica perry: Thanks! Zhane and Ashley are an interesting pair, not to mention complicated. Karone just cant deal.

Pinkrangerfan: Based on some of the things you said in your comments, I'm pretty sure that this chapter may upset you a little bit. Lol!

JasonLeeScottFan: Zhane and Ashley are over emotional, but they have had genuine feelings for each other. Ashley is the only other girl Zhane has loved and Zhane is the only other guy Ashley has loved. Take Andros and Karone out of the picture and you have problems.

Signkat: Here you go!

Chapter 5: Two Months Later

KO-35

Karone ended the communication with Kate and TJ. They really wanted her to go to their wedding, but she couldn't face seeing them all again just yet, and weddings weren't very popular to her. She'd politely turned them down for the umpteenth time.

Her thoughts drifted where she didn't want them to…Zhane. There was no doubt in her mind that he and Ashley were an item by now. With Karone and Andros out of the picture, there was nothing stopping them.

No one actually told her that the two were together, but no one was willing to talk about it either, so she took the hint.

Ashley and Zhane tried to contact her nearly everyday the first month she'd left, but Karone never answered. Now they only found out information on each other through word of mouth.

Karone strolled through the house that was once hers, her brother's, and their parents. The people of KO-35 took her in with hospitality to her surprise and gave her the house she'd stayed in with Andros before she'd left for Earth.

She walked into a room she'd become very familiar with and laid down on the crimson linens of the bed. It was Andros's room, the way he left it before he…

Karone buried her face in his pillow. He'd been her twin, though it had always felt like he was more than a few minutes older than her. But now that he was gone, she felt like a part of her had died too.

She clutched his pillow as memories filled her head. He'd never given up on her. Even when she was taken from him over and over again, he didn't give up. But he'd had an advantage. He knew that she was alive.

She closed her eyes and did what she normally did around this time…She cried.

Earth

Ashley sat next to Zhane in Carlos and Cassie's living room, watching Zhane bounce Ava in his lap. The baby cooed and giggled happily. Ashley turned her attention to how Cassie and Carlos looked as if they were about to explode. "I'm sure TJ and Kate will be here in a minute."

"I wish they would hurry up." Cassie complained.

"I can't hold it in." Carlos blurted. "Let's just tell them now."

"Tell us what?" Zhane asked still playing with Ava.

"Go ahead." Carlos told Cassie. "We can tell TJ and Kate once they get here. Besides, I like telling."

"Okay." Cassie quickly agreed and turned to Ashley ad Zhane. She was practically glowing. "I'm pregnant."

"Oh my god." Ashley embraced Cassie. "Congratulations!"

"Way to go Carlos." Zhane teased, handing Ava to him. "Now you can get some early practice. Ava needs changing."

Cassie and Carlos laughed before Carlos spoke. "I think I'll take you up on that."

"I'll help." Cassie volunteered and grabbed Ava's diaper bag and following Carlos upstairs.

Ashley sighed and watched them go. She smiled when she felt Zhane's arms wrap around her waist. "Wow more ranger babies."

Zhane kissed her forehead. "Well it's about time." There was something he needed to talk to her about. "Ash, you know I love you right?"

She frowned and turned towards him. "Yeah. I love to too."

He gazed into her eyes. "I want to marry you."

Shock wasn't the word to describe what Ashley felt. "Zhane, this is really sudden. You and Karone haven't been apart that long. Things could change."

"No they can't. Karone has nothing to do with me and you."

"Yes she does. You love her. Don't try to deny it."

"I love you too Ashley. I wouldn't be asking you this if I didn't, if I wasn't sure. I love you and Ava. And if we can be a family, that's what I want."

"Zhane, Andros and I missed out on a lot. And that can't be helped. But I couldn't live with myself if I knew you and Karone missed out on a life together because we rushed into things."

"Karone and I were over the moment Andros died. There's no going back for either of us."

"I want to marry you. But I can't lose someone again. If Karone comes back…"

"Nothing will change." He ran a hand through her hair. "It's you that I want."

She closed her eyes. "Will you talk to her first?"

"Absolutely." He figured Ashley would want Karone's blessing if their relationship went any further. "And when she says okay?"

She looked at him again. "Then yes. I'll marry you."

Taurus

Rikai tried to get his breathing under control. He was running out of time. He could feel. Something was taking Ashley from him.

Zhane.

The name echoed in his head. Zhane was taking Ashley away again. Rikai frowned at the thought. Again? He wasn't sure how he knew, but he knew that he'd lost Ashley to Zhane before.

Rikai literally smacked himself in the head and rushed to his comp. "Why didn't I think of this before?" He berated himself out loud. "Comp on. Intergalactic search for Zhane of KO-35." The comp hummed as it began its search. Rikai looked up as his door opened and Sondria walked in.

"We're going out for dinner tonight. Go ahead and get ready." She told her son.

"Search complete." The computer's mechanical voice echoed in the room.

"What were you searching for?" She walked in and sat beside Rikai.

"Him." Rikai pointed to the screen.

A young man with platinum blonde hair and blue eyes appeared on the screen under the IGC space site. "Zhane, the one from your dream." She stated as she read the screen.

"I can't believe I didn't think of this before. He's the silver ranger." He scanned the information on the screen. "It says that he took the role as head of the IGC after the sudden death of… Andros of KO-35." He eyes the hyperlink to the name then looked at his mother.

"Follow link 'Andros of KO-35'." Sondria commanded the comp. She and Rikai both gasped at the picture of the young man now on the screen.

"That's me." His voice shook. And he trembled as he read the rest of the information. "They think I'm dead. They didn't forget about me."

"It say's you have a sister on KO-35." Sondria read further and paled. "And that's not the only thing it says you have. Rikai?" He wasn't beside her anymore. He was at the communicator. It was like he was on autopilot while he punched in the numbers. As the communicator rang, he hid the video from the person who answered.

"Hello." A pretty blonde girl with bloodshot blue eyes filled the screen. "Who is this?"

He knew her. She was the other half of him. His sister. His twin. "Karone?" He uttered the first name that came to him and watched as blue eyes rolled back and the girl fell to the floor.

KO-35

That same voice brought her back to the surface. Karone opened her eyes and listened to the commotion coming from the communicator.

"Are you okay?"

"Miss?" That was definitely a female voice.

"Karone, please answer me." The familiar voice pleaded.

Karone stood and looked at the communicator screen. "Unblock your video." She said with a shaky voice and held her breath when she heard the beeped and saw her brother's face fill the screen. "Please, let this be real." She begged with tears streaming down her face.

"It is." He assured. "I'm… They call me Rikai. A little over a year ago, I crash-landed on a planet named Taurus in the Arias system. I didn't remember anything before the crash. Only recently did things start coming back to me." He explained. "I'm not even sure how I knew this communication number."

Karone could only stare at him for a while. "Give me that location again." She grabbed her hand held communicator and in put the information he gave her. "I can be there in 36 hours." She looked at the screen and saw that his and the other woman's eyes were wide; his with excitement, hers with wariness.

He spoke first. "But how? I've been waiting for months for the transport from here to KO-35, and with the vessels we have it would take three days."

She couldn't help but smile. "I have connections."

"Excuse me." The blonde woman beside him cut in. "We'd love to have you, but there's something else I read on your brother's data that I think we should discuss."

"What is it mom?" Her brother asked. "This is my mother, Sondria Slade. Her husband and son found me."

"Nice to meet you." Sondria forced a polite yet nervous smile.

"Likewise." Karone had a feeling she already knew what Sondria was referring to before, but she asked anyway. "What were you worried about?"

The woman's eyes drifted for a second to the young man beside her then back to Karone. "The matter of…Ava."

"Who's Ava?" Nervous hazel looked at her begging for an answer.

Karone sighed. "It's true. Ava was born after we thought Andros died." She hesitated for a moment. "She's Andros's daughter."

It was Karone's turn to watch her brother lose consciousness.

(A/N: Sorry about the delay. Lots of drama. My mother's been in the hospital. She's home now and doing better. My updates should occur regularly now. So tell me what you think.)