Can't Let Go
Disclaimer: I don't own the Power Rangers.
sunflowerlily: Thanks! Here's more.
JasonLeeScottFan: Maybe, but can Zhane and Ashley really have anything with Andros around? Just wait until chapter 6 for blowing up. Lol.
Chapter 5: Keep a Secret
They hated having to sneak around, but given the choice between keeping their relationship a secret and having to deal with Andros; Ashley and Zhane decided that silence was the best answer.
In the past two weeks the rangers had met up with Darkliptor only two times. The other attacks were headed by Darkonda only, but for the past two days everything had been quiet.
"You wanna go to Earth and get dinner?" Ashley asked Zhane as they walked hand in hand through the corridor.
"Sure." He answered. "What do you have in mind?"
"I'll tell you after we get into some normal clothes." A sudden far off look came onto Ashley's face before she quickly dropped Zhane's hand and took a step away from him.
"Andros?" Zhane asked knowingly. He had become accustomed to the quick changes in Ashley that meant Andros was nearby.
"Yep." Ashley always had her mind working to make sure that she knew where Andros was at all times. It was easier for her to keep track of him than it was the others. Besides, Andros was the one they had to worry about.
"Hey guys." Andros called as he came towards them, Cassie right beside him. He looked curiously from Ashley to Zhane. "Where are you two headed?"
"We were just going to grab some food." Zhane answered.
"Mind if we go with you guys?" Cassie asked. She had a feeling something was going on between Ashley and Zhane, and the fact that they were trying very hard to seem nonchalant only fueled her suspicion.
"We were gonna-" Zhane started.
"Head to the food hall just now." Ashley quickly finished. After dinner here I'll take you to the place I wanted to go for dessert. She told Zhane telepathically.
Oh okay. He answered her.
"Alright." Cassie said and turned around leading Andros and the others to the food hall.
Food Hall
They had all decided on cheese burgers and fries.
Cassie seemed to be the only one enjoying herself. Andros was eating very tensely, therefore making Ashley and Zhane uncomfortable, especially because they knew why he was so tensed, but they tried to keep from showing their uneasiness.
"So Zhane," Cassie started. "Have you spent some time on Earth yet?"
Since the only times he had been to Earth had been with Ashley he decided to keep that information to himself. "Not unless we're fighting. I'm still getting used to the Megaship again; I'll take on Earth later." He tried to joke.
"We can always show you around." Cassie suggested. "Or Ashley could." Three pairs of eyes went straight to Cassie before they could stop themselves.
Ashley was the first to recover. "I figured we would all show Zhane around Earth." What was Cassie doing?
Andros visibly relaxed at Ashley's comment. "That's a good idea. We could go tomorrow."
"Sounds great." Zhane added nervously.
"Well I'm full." Ashley said, mainly so no one would notice Zhane's nervousness. She stood and cleared her spot at the table. "I'll be in my room if anyone needs me."
"Ashley!" Andros called before she could make it out of the food hall.
Ashley stopped and turned towards him. "Yeah?"
"Can we talk for a minute?" It might have seemed petty but he needed to talk to her about this and now was as good a time as any. "In private?"
Ashley frowned a little and glanced at Zhane, which didn't go unnoticed by Andros. "Sure. We can talk in my room." I wonder what this is about. She directed her thoughts towards Zhane.
Let me know when you find out. He responded.
"Is it okay if I wait in your room until you've finished talking to Ashley?" Cassie asked her boyfriend, with what she thought was admirable patience.
Andros nodded and left with Ashley.
"I guess I'll go to my room too." Zhane stated. "I'll see you later."
"Later." Cassie responded unenthusiastically. Once Zhane left she let herself sulk. Andros is with me now. He doesn't want Ashley. She tried to convince herself, but in the back of her mind, she knew the truth.
Ashley's room
"What did you want to talk about?" Ashley asked once her door slid shut behind Andros.
"Are you and Zhane together?" The abruptness of his question took them both off guard. He quickly tried to recover. "What I meant was-"
"I know exactly what you meant." Ashley cut him off. It wasn't fair for him to question her like this. "Who I date has nothing to do with you, especially since you broke up with me." Where she expected to feel anger from him, she felt sadness.
"So I guess that answers my question." He turned to leave.
"We're not together." She blurted it out before she could stop herself. She didn't like lying to him. His anger she could have handled, she had done so before, but his sorrow was too much for her. "Look, if I decide to date someone else, it's still none of your business." She made her voice gentle.
"I know, but will you give me a heads up if something does happen between you and Zhane?"
Ashley sighed. "You did come to me about Cassie, so if something happens between me and Zhane, you'll be the first to know."
He smiled a little. "Thanks." He left her room.
Ashley slumped on her bed. Somehow she had a very strong feeling that this conversation was going to come back to haunt her.
Zhane's room
Get dressed in some regular clothes and meet me in the observatory in 10 minutes.
Zhane heard Ashley's voice clearly in his head and followed her directions. He walked into the observatory 10 minutes later dressed in a black, silver and white horizontally striped polo shirt and blue jeans. Ashley was already there in a yellow halter top and blue jean shorts. She carried a jacket that matched her shorts in her hand.
"You ready?" She asked and slid on her jacket.
"Yeah. Let's go."
"DECA, teleport two to Angel Grove pier."
They disappeared in silver and yellow lights.
Angel Grove Pier
The water splashed under the pier as Zhane and Ashley walked along hand in hand.
"This place is great." Zhane commented glancing up at the stars while they walked.
"Yeah." Ashley agreed. "This is one of my favorite places. For some reason, the stars just seem brighter here."
"You may be right." He could honestly see why Ashley liked it here. It was peaceful, despite the few other people walking around as well.
Ashley looked to her left and saw their destination. "Come on. This is the place." Ashley pulled him along until they stood at the window of a small ice cream shop.
The woman at the window smiled at Ashley and Zhane. "How can I help you?"
"Two vanilla ice creams in waffle cones please." She ordered.
"Coming right up." The woman answered and went to fill their order.
"What's ice cream?" Zhane whispered to her.
She pulled him to a table. "It's a frozen dessert here on Earth and it's really good." She assured him.
Ashley was right about the pancakes so Zhane figured she was probably right about this too.
Ashley went back to the window when the woman who took their order called their ticket number. When she came back to the table, she handed Zhane his ice cream. There were long plastic spoons in each of the ice creams.
"The spoons make it easier to eat, but you can eat the waffle cone too." She ate some of the ice cream and bit a piece of the cone. "See?"
Zhane followed suit and did what Ashley did. "It's good. Cold but good." He went to shovel a big scoop in his mouth but Ashley stopped him.
"Not so fast." She laughed. "There's something called brain freeze. It happens when you eat cold things too fast."
"Thanks for the warning." He smiled.
They finished their ice creams and continued walking along the pier.
"What did Andros want to talk to you about?" Zhane asked curiously.
Ashley sighed. "He wanted to know if you and I were together."
"What did you tell him?"
"Basically, I lied through my teeth." She stopped and faced him. "And I hated it."
"Maybe we should tell him after all." Zhane suggested.
"You're probably right. We just have to find the right time to tell him." She thought for a minute. "I think Cassie already knows or at least has an idea."
"This means we need to tell him as soon as possible, before he hears it from Cassie."
"You're right." They continued walking. "I just hope he takes it okay."
(A/N: How will Andros take the news? Will he be angry that Ashley lied to him? Find out in chapter 6 'Secrets Revealed'. Lol! Hope you liked it. Please read and review.)