Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers.
Just Beginning
"You owe me a dance."
"Do I really?"
"Yes."
"Do I have to?"
"Yes."
"I thought we already danced."
"Zhane, just dance with her already," Cassie broke in. She smoothed down the skirt of her maid-of-honor dress before dropping down into the seat directly across from Zhane, and looked surprisingly graceful while doing so.
"Do I have to?"
"Yes," both girls chorused together.
"Please?" Ashley implored him. "I haven't danced with you at all yet, and Karone stole Andros."
"She'll give him back; I'm better company than he is," he declared in the flippant tone that no one could do quite so well as he. Then he flashed her his charming smile and hopped to his feet, bowing as he offered her his hand.
"May I have this dance?" he inquired gallantly.
"I'd be honored." Ashley smiled and slipped her arm through his. "Coming, Cass?"
"You two have fun." Cassie waved them off with a smile, explaining, "TJ's bringing back drinks."
"I'll see you later then." Ashley paused and then grinned, adding, "And you still owe me one more song!"
"I know," Cassie called after her as Zhane led her away. "I promised you the first and the last. Now--go have fun."
"Will do!" Ashley waved over her shoulder and then gave Zhane's arm a hard tug. "Come on!"
"Nice wedding you've got here." Zhane could have been commenting on her shoes as she led him out onto the dance floor, his tone perfectly casual. "I'll have to try this sometime."
"You'd better," she giggled. Her lips were near his ear as she added, "And sometime within the next seven months, too."
He just grinned widely and slipped an arm around her waist. "So she did tell you."
Ashley nodded as she draped one arm around his shoulders. "Congratulations--and next time, tell us sooner!"
"We would have," he defended himself, taking her free hand in his as they began to dance. "If we hadn't found out a week before your wedding, we would have."
"You still should have said something," she insisted with a laugh. "I was wondering why Karone wouldn't stop eating yogurt."
"Or fruit," he muttered. "Or chocolate. Or... I know there was something else."
"Chips?" she suggested.
"That was it." Zhane sighed, and then grinned. "She says it's a boy."
"You'll make a great daddy." Ashley smiled.
"So will Andros," he whispered pointedly, winking at her.
She only laughed, ducking beneath his arm as Zhane twirled her around. "We'll get there soon enough."
"Yeah, well," he said, spinning her around the other way, "you'd better hurry--my son will need playmates!"
"It's called daycare, Zhane."
"But, see, no one else at daycare is the heir to the greatest power there ever was," he explained, straight-faced. "It might go to his head."
"Greatest power there ever was, huh?" she repeated. "Andros would probably disagree with you on that one."
"And you wouldn't?"
"Red Rangers are the confrontational ones," Ashley said lightly. "And Silver Rangers are just there to look good; everyone knows that it's the Yellow Rangers who do all the work."
"So you think I look good?" he teased. "Better not let your husband hear that-- you've only been married a few hours and you're already having second thoughts."
"Never." Ashley shoved him playfully, or tried to. With one hand in his and the other around his neck, it was a bit difficult.
Zhane laughed at her, kissing her cheek as the song ended. "Love you."
She squeezed him hard, resting her head on his shoulder for a moment longer. "Love you too."
"Better not let Andros hear that, either," he advised, and she burst out in giggles.
"You're horrible!"
"Talking about me?"
"Bad news, Andros," Zhane informed him and then paused for effect. "Your wife's in love with me."
Andros raised an eyebrow at Ashley, amused. "Where'd he get that idea?"
"Not a clue." She laughed, and Zhane feigned hurt.
"You sure you want him?" He glanced between them and grinned. "I'm taller."
"You are," Ashley agreed, stepping over to Andros. "But I like him better."
"Fine," Zhane huffed, and glanced around the room. "Hey, where's Karone?"
"She stepped outside for a few minutes," Andros supplied. "She said she'd be back before we took pictures."
"You think she'd mind if I went after her? Or did she want to be alone?"
"Go for it." Andros grinned at him. "Oh, and next time, tell us."
Zhane rolled his eyes at the pair of them before heading off towards the doors. Ashley smiled and stepped into her husband's arms, hugging him tight.
"Did ya miss me?" she teased.
His breath tickled her ear as he laughed softly. "You had to ask?"
"Mmm." She squeezed him a little tighter. "I love you."
"Glad to hear it," he said wryly, and pulled away to kiss her lips. "And I love you."
"You'd better," she threatened, and found herself stifling a yawn. "Can we go home yet?"
"No." He sounded grumpy enough that she giggled, and he made a face at her. "There's still pictures."
"Oh." She brightened. "That's okay, then."
Andros wrinkled his nose and she smiled, touching her lips lightly to his. "Hey," she reminded him, "we're skipping the garter throw for you. You owe me pictures."
"You didn't want to do it, either," he said, but sighed and nodded. "Fine."
She kissed him again, nuzzling his mouth with hers until he smiled and laughed. "Better," she said, satisfied. "I don't care how cute you look when you're all pouty, it's our wedding day and you're going to be happy."
"I am happy." He kissed her forehead and looked away, still smiling. "Ash..."
"Yeah?"
"I--I... if I..." Andros sighed, frowning in irritation. "It shouldn't be this hard to say," he muttered.
"What shouldn't?" Ashley looked at him curiously. "Andros?"
"If I've never..." He closed his eyes and started over, his voice soft and completely sincere. "If I've never thanked you for saving my life, let me do it now. Without--without you, I wouldn't be who I am now, and I--I can't... I've never been this happy before."
Ashley just stared at him for a moment, not sure what to do besides tightening her arms around his neck and squeezing hard. "I know how you feel," she murmured once she could speak again. "You've changed me too."
"Do we still have to take pictures?" he asked innocently, and she just stared at him for a moment.
"It's still weird to hear you making jokes," she complained, slapping his arm lightly. "And yes, we do."
He laughed when she hugged him and then took her hand in his for one last dance. She rested her chin on his shoulder and sighed happily as they swayed back and forth in time to the music as Cassie sang, closing her eyes. The familiar smell of his skin and hair filled her nose and she held him a little closer.
There was no better way to spend her life than with him. Ashley touched her lips to the crook of his neck, knowing just how lucky she had been to find him. Knowing that if things had happened just a little differently that she would never have known him at all.
The thought made her squeeze him as hard as she could. "I'm so glad I met you," she murmured into his ear. "So glad."
"Yeah." He touched her hair, smiling as he caught her eye. "Me too."
Yay! It's done! A year after I started. Heh. It's still Jenny's birthday for another... hour and a half, so everyone wish her a happy birthday::sings Happy Birthday very off-key:: I hope you had a happy birthday with lots and lots of cake and presents and happy stuff. Hope you all liked it. :)