Chapter 15

Sorry it took so long to update, I just wanted it to be really good. Enjoy!

That night Andros couldn't sleep. He sat up watching over her as she slept, wondering how she ever managed to break through into his life.

"We'll find her I promise." Her voice startled him as he turned to face the woman who held the powers his sister should have had. Instead of anger though, he was surprised that he found himself believing her.

Day after day he found himself entranced by her more and more. And instead of turning away from Ashley, he found himself turning to her for the comfort and love that had been missing since Karone had disappeared and Zhane had almost died.

"I can't believe I let you go." He whispered in disbelief as he gently smoothed the brown curls away from her face. "But you came back." She replied softly, her hazel eyes fluttering open to gaze up at him.

"We'll talk in the morning. Go back to sleep." He told her, kissing her head gently.

"You need your rest too." Ashley insisted, pulling him down to lay with her. "I'm fine Andros." She persuaded him. "We're both fine." She added as she placed his hand on her belly. He was in awe as he felt his son or daughter kicking, finally relaxing enough to go to sleep, pulling Ashley in close to him. Andros slept better than they had in months.

When Andros awoke the next day, he rolled over to find an empty spot in bed where Ashley should have been. "Ash?" he called curiously, forcing his eyes open and himself to be alert. Just in case. He wasn't taking any chances with her well-being or the baby's.

"In the kitchen." Came her usual cheerful reply, drifting from down the hall.

He quickly got out of bed and found her at the stove keeping watch over the eggs. "Aren't you supposed to be resting?" He rebuked her tenderly, even as he wrapped his arms around her, pulled her close and kissed her neck.

"Yeah, but I couldn't sleep." She grumbled without losing her smile. "This little one doesn't know that her mom needs to rest." Ashley commented rubbing her belly. She was entering her third trimester and things were just starting to get uncomfortable for Ashley. She was still getting used to her "new" body.

Andros turned Ashley around so he could speak with their child. "Listen kid." He spoke sternly, yet affectionately. "You need to take it easy on your mom, she needs her rest. She's had to work more than she should have to bring you into this world, and that's my fault. But I'm here now, and you and I have to take care of her. She's going to be the best mom in the world. So give her a break will ya?" He teased as he kissed her abdomen.

Ashley put her hands on his face and pulled him up to her for a kiss. "I love you." She told him.

The smell of burnt eggs brought them both back to the task at hand. " Look at what you made me do." Ashley complained as she quickly removed the pan from the burner and dumped the eggs into the garbage; holding her breath all the while.

"Can't help it if you find me distracting." Andros commented lightly as he set out plates for breakfast. He looked up when he noticed she hadn't moved from the garbage can yet. "Ash?" he asked concerned.

A soft sob caught his attention. "Ashley." He said worried, hating the fact that he made her cry. He gently took the pan from her hands and tossed it in the sink. "What's wrong?" He questioned as he pulled her into his arms.

"I just wanted… this… to be…perfect." She cried into his shoulder. "Breakfast?" He wondered confused. She couldn't find the words so she just nodded.

"It's okay Ash." Andros reassured her, rubbing her back to calm her down.

"If I can't make breakfast, how can I be a good mom?" She sobbed sadly.

"Ashley Grace Hammond." He startled her with her full name and his stern voice. His fingers gently tipped her chin up to make her look into his eyes. Ashley was shocked to see her pain mirrored in his eyes, only for different reasons.

"You're going to be a wonderful mother." He encouraged her. "And I'll be here every step of the way Ash." Andros reminded her. "You wouldn't have made it this far by yourself if you weren't going to be a great mom. I wish I had been around to help you." He added guiltily as he held her tightly in his arms.

"You're here now." She declared hopefully. "I am. And I'm never leaving you again." He determined strongly. "I love you." Andros punctuated his statement with a strong kiss.

"Why don't you sit down on the couch and I'll make breakfast." He decided as he led her out of the kitchen.

"Okay." She agreed finally. She hated to admit it but even standing up for the short amount of time had tired her. Her back was aching and her swollen feet were throbbing. "Two more months." She murmured to herself in encouragement. With a sigh she propped her feet up on the coffee table and tried to relax.

When Andros returned with breakfast ten minutes later, he was relieved to find her asleep. He lovingly took her feet and put them on the couch and covered her with a blanket.

He was reading the newspaper when it struck him how normal this routine was, and how he could get used to it. There used to be a time when he couldn't imagine living off the mega ship or KO-35, but here he was living on Earth with the woman he loved. And soon to be born child. He smiled at the thought of his new family. "Nothing will ever hurt them again." He swore to himself. "Especially not me." He promised.

Andros was starting to get worried. For the last two weeks Ashley had not been sleeping well, and it was affecting her already worn out emotions. Which was affecting his patience. He knew it wasn't her fault, but it was stressing him out. He looked over to where she was resting now. He was relieved to see how relaxed she seemed. All the tension and pain she carried when she was awake was gone. He really couldn't wait for the next two months to go by for Ashley's sake. She looked so beautiful, despite all her protests to the contrary. He was secretly hoping for a little girl, so she could be just like Ashley. It was funny to think that especially how much he had resented her when he met her.

"They're not asking for help but they need it." TJ declared firmly as the group of former Astro rangers met up at the Surf Spot. "They shouldn't have to do this alone." He concluded strongly.

"I haven't seen Ashley since her baby shower." Cassie complained, concerned about her best friend.

"We know that Andros is just trying to make up for the time he was away. He is feeling guilty, as if he had been here this wouldn't have happened." Zhane added, knowing his best friend all too well.

"So if they won't come to us, we'll go to them." Carlos decided simply. "Let's go." Cassie said, not wasting any time, leading the way out of the Surf Spot.

"You look like hell." Zhane confronted his best friend when he opened the door. He pushed his way past Andros and the others followed him.

"Where's Ashley?" Karone questioned her brother as she looked around the apartment. "She's sleeping, and I like to make sure she stays asleep." Andros insisted, blocking them from going any further into the apartment.

"You look like you need some more sleep." Carlos decided staring at the former red ranger. "Yeah, well Ashley hasn't slept well because of the pain. She can't have any medicine so we're using heating pads, ice packs, extra pillows, anything for her to be comfortable." He sighed as he collapsed into a kitchen chair with his friends pulling up chairs alongside.

"Is everything ok?" TJ asked seriously. "Yeah." Andros reassured them. "It's everything the doctor warned us about. "What can we do?" TJ offered with a determination that Andros couldn't refuse his help.

"I hate having to leave her alone everyday while I go to work." He admitted slowly. "I'm afraid that she's worrying that I'm not coming back."

"She'll realize that as each day goes by and you're still here." Cassie reminded him gently. "She's just being overly sensitive because she's really afraid for the baby's sake."

"That doesn't make me feel better." He grumbled. "It's just so stressful you know? I'm afraid the smallest thing will upset her which will upset the baby." He said as he hid his face in his hands. "I can't lose them. I just can't." Andros whispered heart broken.

"You need help." TJ declared logically.

"SO here we are." Zhane chimed in boldly. "Let us help you." He pleaded with his best friend to accept their offer. He was afraid that Andros's stubbornness and pride would prevent him from doing so.

"What do we do?" Andros asked in quiet desperation. He couldn't disagree with Carlos that the burden was starting to wear on him.

"Go to bed." Karone demanded, pulling her brother off the couch and giving him a gentle shove towards the stairs. "The rest of us will figure out a plan." Andros gave them a grateful look as he headed up to join Ashley.

Andros took a moment to gaze upon the woman he loved more than he could ever have imagined. Brown hair spilled over the pillow, the exhaustion she usually wore when she was awake was displaced by the glow of her pregnancy, and she looked as peaceful and content as he could remember.

He was still awed by the fact that she loved him. He couldn't get over his surprise when they had asked each other out, or when she first kissed him, or how she responded to his leaving the last time, which had resulted in the child she now carried. Through the years he became used to the faith she had in him, and it changed him. He started to hope that true love could be found and that it could last. That fact which was proven when Ashley had said yes to his proposal. And now that he had it, he wasn't about to let it go.

He climbed in the bed, careful not to disturb Ashley's well-needed rest, but was unsuccessful. However, she didn't wake up completely, she only shifted closer to him, laying her head on his chest as his arm slid down her back to hold her close to him. The beating of his heart reminding her that he was there and with that thought she fell back asleep.

Meanwhile downstairs, the other rangers rearranged schedules and checked calendars to make sure that Ashley and Andros had the support they needed during this trying time. TJ and Cassie ran to the grocery store while Carlos made a late lunch for the sleeping pair. Zhane and Karone caught up on the laundry and other obvious chores before setting the living room up for a romantic afternoon.

Ashley was the first to wake up. Like Andros had before, she took advantage of the still moment to look at him as he slept. Worry lines were etched on his face and she knew regretfully that she had put them there. He had tried everything to prove to her that wasn't leaving, but she had been too afraid to trust him again. She brushed her fingers across his forehead to brush away some stray hairs. Leaning down, she barely grazed the newly revealed skin with her lips.

'If you don't trust him, what's the point?' Her favorite piece of advice came to mind as she gazed down upon her fiancé. She sighed; as she knew that not only did she trust him completely, but also she loved him so much she couldn't imagine living without him. She realized guiltily that she had been testing him, and had been unfair. He had gone out of his way to prove to her that he loved her, and now it was her turn to return the favor.

As their friends bombarded them with their help, Ashley and Andros began to enjoy the anticipation of their little one. They spent hours pouring over baby names from the book Zhane had bought them, laughing when they noticed every name that started with a Z had been highlighted.

"Zahora?" Ashley read from the book giggling. Andros stopped looking at the book at the sound of her laughter. It had been so long since he had last heard Ashley laugh; it gave him a sense of relief. Day by day, the dark shadows under her eyes were slowly fading. Under Cassie and Karone's watchful eyes, she was resting most of they day and her ankles were becoming less swollen, even as her belly kept expanding. His hand dropped to feel the movement inside her belly. His eyes welled up in wonder at the life they had created. Ashley placed her hand on top of his; closing her eyes at the peaceful moment they shared. Andros tenderly kissed her head as she leaned into him as his arm wrapped around her shoulders. "I can't wait for him or her to arrive." He whispered happily.

"Do you want a boy or a girl?" Ashley wondered curiously. With all their concerns and decisions, they hadn't really talked about the baby. She didn't really expect him to answer, waiting for an ambivalent answer like, 'it doesn't matter as long as they are healthy.'

She was surprised then by his honesty. "I want a little girl, laughing and smiling every day like her mama; even though she'll be as beautiful as her mother and I'll have to beat all the boys away." He said with a smile.

"What?" He asked suspiciously, as he watched her stare at him in what looked like disbelief.

"Nothing." She claimed smiling back at him. "I just thought you'd want a little boy that's all." She admitted sheepishly. "A little boy who is strong and sensitive that will help you relive your childhood. A boy who is as loyal and courageous as his father."

"Soon he or she will be here." Andros declared awestruck as they took in their new nursery. The Astro team had recreated it to look like a spaceship. Light blue walls brightened the room as the dark blue ceiling was covered in stars and moons and planets. Saucer shaped lights hung from the ceiling over the rocking chair Ashley had picked out months earlier. A spaceship mobile hung over the crib, a colorful quilt of black, pink, blue, silver, purple, red, and yellow lying in the empty bed waiting to cover a baby.

"Soon." Ashley agreed as the two stood in front of the crib wishing the days away until they would get to hold their newborn child.

"Do you think it will be a boy or a girl?" Carlos asked the group as they sat in the waiting room for Ashley to deliver her baby.

" I know Andros is hoping for a girl." Karone admitted before anyone else could answer.

"Either way, I think Zhane Jr., has a nice ring to it." The silver ranger declared with a smirk. "You would." Karone smacked his arm even as she laughed.

"No really, either way he'll happy." Zhane admitted seriously.

"And he'll be even happier when Ashley walks down the aisle to marry him." Cassie added from her seat between Carlos and TJ.

"I hope he or she comes soon, they've been in there forever!" complained Carlos impatiently, concern for his best friend written all over his face.

"First borns always take a long time." Cassie explained as she laid her hand on Carlos's shoulder to comfort him. "Besides, it's been a long nine months, what's a few more hours?" She reminded him, all of them, of the ordeal Ashley had gone through just to get to this point. She was just glad for Ashley's sake, that the birth of her baby would be the happy ending she had wished for. 'Or happy beginning.' The pink ranger amended at the life her two friends were starting together.

Casual conversations carried throughout the waiting room when the door opened and the group went quiet, waiting for the doctor to speak. The tension was palpable as they anxiously hoped for good news.

"It's a girl." Dr. Brown announced joyfully, eliciting cheers from the crowd of waiting rangers. "6 pounds 4 ounces. 18 inches." He described the newborn baby.

"Can we see her?" The new aunt asked excitedly. "Sure, follow me." Dr. Brown declared, leading them into the maternity ward after outfitting the group in scrubs.

They stopped outside the window to witness Andros sitting on the bed with Ashley, his arm around his fiancée and their new baby girl cradled in her arms. Tears flowed unapologetically down the faces of the new parents.

"She's beautiful." Zhane murmured as they gazed upon the quiet scene. Tucked inside a warm blanket, they could see a patch of light brown hair like Ashley's and hazel eyes like Andros's. Ten tiny fingers grabbed unto Ashley's gown as she gazed up at her mother.

"What's her name?" Carlos asked quietly as they entered the room. Andros looked up at his question and answered proudly, "Adrienne Renee."

"She's perfect." Ashley declared in amazement, grateful that her baby girl was healthy after all she had endured during Ashley's pregnancy. Ashley sobbed at the thought that something could have happened to their miracle daughter. Andros, sensing Ashley's thoughts and understanding her overwhelming emotions asked the others to leave.

"She's going to be fine Ash, we all will." Andros promised her, taking their new baby daughter into his arms for the first time. "I love you." He said to his two favorite girls, kissing Adrienne on her head and then reaching over to press his lips to Ashley's.

Well that's finished, I know it took a while, but I'm happy with the end results. I further endeavor to finish the rest of my unfinished stories asap. Thanks for all your reviews, hope you enjoyed this story.