Can't Let Go
Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers.
Pinkrangerfan: So close yet so far. Poor Zhane. You'll find out if Karone is okay in this chapter. So here you go.
JasonLeeScottFan: Thanks! I thought that little twist would be cool. It shows how courageous Karone is. She may be spared. Read to find out. Lol!
Chapter 21: Aftermath
Angel Grove
Even with Carlos's help in the Megaship, things weren't looking good. Cassie and TJ were grossly out numbered.
In all the commotion, they managed to hear the voices of the people on Angel Grove. "The rangers can't do this alone!"
"Come on people. Let's fight!" Another voice called.
And just like that the tides began to turn. Cassie and TJ fought with the people of Angel Grove and managed to hold their own against the creatures.
Suddenly, everyone stopped as a beam of light came from the Dark Fortress, followed by a band of gold that seemed to pass through everyone and everything. The quantrons disintegrated into dust before them. The people cheered.
Cassie and TJ demorphed as the light passed through them, causing new commotion once their identities were revealed.
"Guys!" Carlos called as he made his way through the crowd to TJ and Cassie. "It's over. DECA's readouts say that Evil throughout the universe has been destroyed. We did it!" He and Cassie embraced.
TJ looked at them and couldn't help but frown. He suddenly perked up when he heard his name being called.
"TJ!" A girl with long red hair and mint green eyes made her way through the crowd.
"Kate!" TJ called back. The crowed seemed to move out of their way as the two came together. TJ lifted her into his arms. "You have no idea how happy I am to see you."
"I think I have an idea." She kissed him. "So this is why you kept disappearing on me?" She asked playfully. "You're a power ranger."
"Kate, I'm sorry I didn't-"
"TJ!" Kate stopped him. "You and you're friends just saved the world; you don't have to explain anything."
"TJ." Carlos made his way over to TJ and Kate with Cassie in tow. "Where are the others?"
TJ's happiness quickly died down. He was so excited about winning that he didn't stop to think about how they had won. "You don't think that they…" He could finish the sentence. They couldn't have killed Karone. There had to have been another way.
All commotion stopped as The Dark Fortress door slid open.
Dark Fortress
Ashley and Andros were demorphed as the golden light passed through them and watched as Ecliptor and the rest of the quantrons were turned into dust.
"What was that?" Ashley asked.
"I don't know but…" He trailed off at the sudden pain and grief that flooded him. He looked over at Ashley and the tears shining in her eyes told him she felt the same thing. "It's Zhane." He and Ashley rushed for the door and all but pried it open. He could barely take in the scene before him. Zhane sat on the floor cradling Karone in his arms, rocking back and forth as if the motion alone would bring her back.
Zhane didn't bother fighting back the tears. She was Karone again, the fair haired beauty he had come to love. But she was gone, lifeless in his arms. His grip on Karone tightened when he heard the door slide open.
Andros fell to his knees in front of Zhane and his sister with Ashley beside him. "H-how?" He could feel the tears streaming down his face and heard Ashley's soft sobbing beside him and grabbed her hand.
It took a minute for Zhane to realize that it was Andros and Ashley that came into the room and that Andros was speaking to him now. But he answered. "They sacrificed themselves. Karone and Zordon." He explained. "Zordon told me to destroy his energy tube in order to kill the evil in the universe, but since Karone was Astronema, he wasn't sure it wouldn't kill her too." He paused and took Karone's hand in his while still holding her close. "I couldn't do it, even when Astronema attacked me I couldn't do it. So she did. Karone fought the device and shattered Zordon's energy tube." He looked at Karone's lifeless form in his arms.
"She saved us." Ashley whispered and buried her face in Andros's shoulder when he wrapped his arm around her and laid his head on top of hers.
Ashley reached out blindly and closed her hand over Zhane's and Karone's. Without thinking, Andros mimicked her motion and laid his hand on top of the other three.
She could feel herself being pulled back from the abyss and automatically knew why. They were pulling her back, even if they didn't know it; the people she loved most in the world were pulling her back to them. They surrounded her; she sensed them around her and held on to that feeling, fighting her way to the surface.
The first life sustaining breath she took felt like heaven. She sat up slowly and opened her eyes, taking in the sight before her.
"Karone?" Andros could only stare at her. Was this real?
"Yeah." Karone smiled at him answering his silent question. "It's real." She felt tears of happiness flow down her face when her brother took her into his arms. "I'm okay Andros." She whispered to him. He shifted and let Ashley take his place. "You told me you'd come back for me."
"I keep my word." Ashley hugged her best friend and soon to be sister in law. "Don't ever scare us like that again."
She gave a tearful laugh. "I'll try not to." Ashley moved away and back to Andros's waiting arms. Karone slowly turned to the man she loved.
Zhane cupped her face in his hands before pulling her to him. "I thought I lost you."
She pulled away and kissed him. "You brought me back." She stayed wrapped in Zhane's arms but turned to face Ashley and her brother. "All of you did." She held out her hand in the center of the four of them. Zhane covered her hand with his followed by Ashley and Andros. She smiled at each of them and looked at their joined hands. This was her family.
Angel Grove
The cheering grew louder when Andros, Zhane, and Ashley, along with Karone, stepped out of the Dark Fortress.
"I guess that means we won." Karone stated as they moved through the barrage of people thanking them, for saving Earth.
"There are the others!" Ashley called when she saw the other rangers.
"Hey!" Cassie called as she, Carlos, TJ and Kate reached the rest of the rangers. They all embraced and made quick introductions.
"Not that I'm not enjoying the praise." Zhane started. "But can we get back to the ship where it's quieter?"
"I agree." Andros added. He and the rest of them made their way out of the crowd. "DECA, teleport eight."
Megaship
"Wow this place is cool." Kate commented when she and the rangers appeared in the bridge.
"Yeah." TJ responded wrapping an arm around her shoulder. "But personally I can't wait until we get settled on Earth."
"I know what you mean." Cassie commented leaning against her boyfriend.
Karone frowned a little. "Where will we go?" She asked looking from Zhane to Andros.
Andros looked at Ashley. This was definitely something they had never talked about. And something that definitely needed to be worked out.
"My guess is Andros will be going wherever Ashley is, being that their engaged and all." Carlos commented.
Karone's face lit up. "We're gonna be sisters for real now." She ran over to Ashley and nearly knocked the yellow ranger off of her feet.
"I'm glad you're excited about it." Ashley smiled and for the time being the living situation was out of her mind.
"There is an incoming transmission from NASADA." DECA told them.
"Display transmission." Andros ordered.
"Rangers," President Riley of NASADA filled the screen. "Let me start of by thanking you for defending us."
"It was nothing." Zhane said playfully, causing the others to laugh.
"And because of your heroic actions, NASADA is starting up a new branch. The intergalactic conference, or IGC. The IGC will be responsible for the protection of Earth as well as the known universe. And Andros, we want you to head it."
"Me?" Andros asked gesturing to himself.
"Yes, who better to head the division than the leader of the power rangers?" The president answered. "And of course your team would be working with you."
"I don't know what to say." Andros responded.
"None of you have to give me an answer this minute. Just remember, the offer stands as long as you all need it to. Thanks again for your service." The president ended the transmission.
"This is absolutely perfect!" Carlos called. "We have jobs doing what we've been doing for two years now." Everyone celebrated this new revelation.
Everyone except Ashley and Andros. When Andros snuck out of the bridge Ashley followed him. He leaned against the wall of the corridor and Ashley stood across from him mimicking his position.
She knew what he was thinking and knew he was having a hard time deciding. "Andros, whatever you decide, wherever you want to go, I'm with you."
Andros looked at her, he knew she was being sincere, but he also knew how much the thought of leaving Earth hurt her. "Your home is here, Ashley."
"And KO-35 is your home." She looked into his eyes. "I won't lie to you. I don't want to leave Earth, but not if that means losing you."
"And I want you to be happy; and living on KO-35 wouldn't make you happy."
Ashley sighed. "So what do we do?"
(A/N: Just one more chapter left. What do you think is gonna happen? Lol! Hope you like it. Let me know what you think. Oh yeah, chapter 9 of No Man's Land is up. Check it out!)