I need you
At the Surf Spot...
Andros arrived at the Surf Spot and quickly spotted the group he was looking for. Actually he heard the group he was looking for. In the corner of the Surf Spot, his girlfriend and one of their friends were having a heated argument about something. He couldn't tell what but he knew it wasn't serious by the expressions on their faces. He stood and watched for a moment, enjoying the time just to watch her.
When Ashley laughed, her face just lit up, including her beautiful brown eyes. The eyes he found himself staring into every time they were together. He loved hearing her laugh; it sort of just floated above every other sound in the room, calling to him. He hesitated, hating to break up the good times, but knowing he had to. He owed her. Reluctantly Andros made his way silently to the table.
"Ash? Can I talk to you a second?" Ashley started a bit as his voice interrupted her debate with Carlos over which band was better, No Doubt or Linkin Park.
"Sure Andros." she replied, flashing him her bright smile. The other rangers just smiled as Andros pulled his girlfriend away. He led her outside to a bench and sat her down.
"What is it Andros?" She asked quietly. He was nervous and didn't want to look at her. She grabbed his hands to encourage him to speak. "Just tell me." The yellow ranger demanded softly.
"I have to go away Ash." Andros declared with a look of despair on his face.
Ashley's face crumbled at his admission, as tears fell from her eyes. Andros reached out to wipe away her tears, feeling his eyes tear up as well. "I don't want to, but KO-35 needs me." He whispered.
"When?" she whispered back, afraid of the answer. When he replied "Tomorrow." Ashley broke down. Shocked, Andros dropped to the bench next to her and pulled her into his arms, kissing her hair. "How long?"
"Honestly, I don't know. No longer than three months I hope." Ashley buried her head in his shoulder as her sobs tore through her body. Andros sat there silently, holding her. "But you just came back." She protested.
"I know. And I wish I could change it, but I can't. KO-35 is still my home." He pleaded with her to understand his point of view.
She understood, but it didn't make her feel better. Finally she got angry. "You could change it. You could just not go. Tell them to find someone else!" She yelled at him.
"Look Ash, I don't want to leave you again. I know three months are a long time for me to ask you to wait for me, and I'll understand if..." Andros began hesitatingly.
Outraged, Ashley stood up. "Don't Andros. I'm not going to break up with you! I've waited forever for you and I'll continue to wait for you for the rest of my life if I have to." She declared angrily. "How could you be so selfish? If you don't want to come back then you have to break up with me!"
"Ash..." Andros reached out to her but she pushed him away and took off past the other rangers who had just come outside to see if everything was ok.
"What happened?" Carlos inquired, watching his best friend take off. Andros didn't hear any of the conversations around him as he watched her run away from him. He could feel his heart breaking; he just didn't know what to do.
Zhane noticed his best friend's tearful, pale face and directed him back to the bench. "What is it Andros?"
Sighing, Andros responded, "I have to go away tomorrow."
"I take it Ashley didn't take it so well." Commented his sister Karone. "No, she didn't. But I don't blame her. I don't know how long I'll be gone, maybe three months." Andros confessed.
"Three months!" Zhane exclaimed. "Andros, do you really have to go? What could be so important?" he demanded of his best friend.
"It's KO-35. They need an ambassador for the alliance." Andros said quietly. "But why you?" Karone questioned her brother. "Who else is going to do it?" He replied defensively.
"But we need you Andros." TJ announced loudly. Before Andros could reply, TJ finished his sentence. "Ashley needs you." The red ranger sighed.
"What did you tell her?" Carlos wondered. "I've never seen her so upset before. It's not just because you're leaving is it?" The black ranger declared with sudden insight.
"Well I told her I didn't expect her to wait for me." Andros said as the other rangers just stared at him in shock.
"You said what?" shrieked Cassie. "Why did you do that for?" She shouted at him as she smacked him on the head.
"Calm down Cassie." TJ said, the blue ranger looking towards Andros for some sort of explanation as he restrained the furious pink ranger.
"I don't know. I didn't know when I was coming back, and I didn't want her to be tied down." He admitted, but stopped noticing the look of shock on their faces. "I thought she would be better off. "Andros finished quietly as he slumped against the table.
Carlos decided to take pity on the red ranger. "Better off?" He questioned incredulously. "Andros, I've never seen Ashley so happy as when she's with you or more miserable without you." He scolded his teammate. 'This is not happening.' Carlos thought miserably as he waited for Andros to respond. He couldn't bear to watch his best friend go through this again.
It seemed like eternity before Andros spoke. Andros just looked up at him. "So what should I do?" He whispered, completely clueless.
Zhane smiled as he put his arm around his distraught friend. "Lucky for you I'm around. You go find Ashley and make out with her..." He informed him with a sly look on his face.
"Um, Zhane, don't you mean make up?" Cassie giggled at his slip up.
Zhane just smirked in reply. "I know what I meant Cassie. Anyway, Andros go find her and change and go up to the simudeck at 7pm." As Andros departed, Zhane filled in the rest of the team with his brilliant plan.
Andros took off in search of Ashley. Thinking a minute, he decided he knew where she went. It was where she always went when she was upset. He headed towards Angel Grove Park to a set of swings and was not surprised when he saw the brunette sitting on the swing, her feet dragging slowly through the dirt.
He walked up behind her and placed his hands over hers on the chains. She looked up at him and met his hazel eyes with her teary brown eyes. He slowly made his way to the front of her swing and knelt down in front of her and gently removed her hands from the chains and grasped them tightly in his.
"I'm sorry Ash." He stated simply as he lifted her chin and looked into her eyes. "I don't want to lose you. I just want you to be happy." Andros moved one of his hands to wipe away the tears that gathered in her eyes.
"You make me happy Andros." She said quietly, a small smile playing on her lips. And she knew it was true. No matter how many times he had to leave, she knew she could never leave him. He was her soul mate, her one true love. Nothing could change that. But lately, she was beginning to wonder. Every time it came time for him to leave, it brought her more doubts. Maybe the next three months would actually be good for them; it would give her time to think about things. Could she really handle a life with Andros leaving every so often and for months at a time? What about a family?
He took that moment to lean in and kiss her lips deeply, shaking her away from her straying thoughts. She decided to enjoy their last night together. Sighing, Ashley managed to free one hand and placed it on his cheek, and he took his freehand and wrapped it around her keeping her close. They stayed that way, content in their embrace for a few minutes.
"Ash, will you go to the simudeck with me?" Andros invited as he stood up from the ground and pulled her off the swing.
"I'd love to." She replied smiling, her hand tightly wrapped in his and they teleported back to the ship. Andros dropped her off at her room, giving her a quick kiss. "See you in an hour." He commented with a smile watching her door close, knowing the next few hours with Ashley were precious.
"So did you make out with her?" Zhane called from where he was sprawled out on his bed, waiting for Andros.
"Zhane." Andros sighed exasperated, but not revealing anything. "She did agree to go to the simudeck with me."
"Good enough. Here's the plan." Zhane described as he jumped off the bed. "We programmed dinner and dancing. And then you should take her back here and watch a movie or something." Zhane finished giving Andros a knowing look.
"What do you mean by or something?" The red ranger demanded, a blush coming over him.
"Andros, I know you're not really that dense. Listen you love Ashley and she loves you right?" Without bothering for a response he continued. "So what's the big deal?" he asked as they sorted through Andros's closet for something to wear.
"The big deal," Andros interrupted, "is that I'm leaving tomorrow. I don't want it to be like a one night stand." He argued with his carefree best friend. "She deserves better than that."
"Well she deserves better than you leaving her every few months too." Zhane rebuked his best friend. That statement shocked Andros to the core. "What if she leaves me?" he whispered.
"You better make sure she doesn't then. It's your decision whether or not she'll leave you Andros." He advised the somber boy. He watched as his best friend weighed the options in his head.
"At least leave the opportunity open all right?" Zhane continued on persistently until Andros relented. "I'll think about it okay?" Finally he managed to get the red ranger into the shower while he put together an outfit.
'Stubborn fool.' He muttered as he plucked out a red shirt from the closet. Zhane knew they two of them had been dating for a while now, and he couldn't understand why they hadn't had sex yet. He had picked up from his fellow teammates that on earth, it was relatively custom to wait until marriage, but his carefree lifestyle rebelled against that idea. Who knew what tomorrow would bring? He learned to live for the moment and enjoy life to the fullest. As long as Andros and Ashley were happy though, he had no reason to interfere. But now, how could they be happy when they spent more time apart then together. Zhane wondered what it would take for them to realize how much they needed each other. Whether they realized it or not, they depended on each other for so much.
"I think you should wear this dress Ash." Cassie declared, picking out Ashley's new golden dress from her closet.
"Are you sure Cass? You don't think it's too revealing? We both know how Andros can be." Ashley said uncertainly. 'I know how Andros can be. He doesn't mind being affectionate, but anything more than kissing and he gets all flustered. I don't want to push him away.' Cassie watched the conflicting emotions run across Ashley's face and knew her friend was deep in thought. She realized it was a big decision for them, but really, what were they waiting for?
"Yeah," Cassie conceded. "But maybe he needs to be pushed a little." She said as if reading Ashley's thoughts. "I think Andros will love it. And if you don't wear it for him, who else are you going to wear it for?" She argued. Cassie shoved the dress towards her friend and waited for her to put it on.
Ashley smiled. She agreed with Cassie, Andros would love this dress. She quickly removed her jeans and shirt and slipped on the short gold dress.
"Wow! It looks great Ashley." Cassie exclaimed as Ashley spun around happily in her dress. "Andros won't be able to resist you!" She added mischievously, winking to make sure Ashley got her hint. To her credit Ashley understand Cassie's hidden meaning, blushing at the implication.
"Maybe I shouldn't wear it." Ashley mumbled, her good mood destroyed. "He's leaving tomorrow and I don't want to make things more complicated than they already are."
"But you love him and he loves you Ash. It's no big deal. Now you're wearing that dress and that's final." The pink ranger persuaded her. "Now sit. Let's fix your hair." She decided firmly, changing subjects and watching Ashley relax again.
A little before 7 o'clock Andros left his room to go up to the simudeck and wait for Ashley. He was wearing a nice pair of black pants and a deep red dress shirt as he glanced at the atmosphere around him. Zhane and his sister had done a great job decorating and picking a restaurant. It would definitely be a night to remember. He couldn't help but dwell on the conversation he had with Zhane as he waited for Ashley to arrive. He wondered if he could actually go through with the plan when he heard the doors open. He turned around to see Ashley standing in the doorway with a smile on her face as she took in their surroundings.
He took that moment to gaze at her. She looked amazing, he thought. That dress. It was going to distract him all night. It was a shiny gold dress that sparkled in the light and clung to her every curve, revealing cleavage and an open back and stopping above her knees.
"Ashley." He whispered as he made his way over to her. "You look incredible. Your dress, it's amazing." He declared in awe as he pulled her into his arms.
"You look great too." Ashley complimented as she allowed her arms to go around his neck. They stayed there for a minute, looking at each other before deciding to sit down and eat dinner. They relaxed over dinner, enjoying each other's company and not dwelling on tomorrow.
"Would you like to dance?" Andros asked, holding out his hand to Ashley. "Sure." She replied, accepting his hand as he pulled her out onto the dance floor. A Leann Rimes song played over the radio.
"I need you like water
Like breath, like rain
I need you like mercy
From Heaven's gate
There's a freedom in your arms
That carries me through
I need you"
They started swaying gently before Ashley wrapped her arms around his neck and Andros placed his hands lightly on her bare back, enjoying that sensation. Ashley was buried in Andros's neck and was pleased when she was rewarded by Andros lightly caressing her back, causing her to lean in closer to him, pressing her body into him.
Andros kissed Ashley's temple gently before pulling away in order to kiss his way to her lips. A small sigh escaped her mouth as he made his way to her lips. She returned his kiss with an intense passion that surprised them both.
Before she could apologize though, he captured her mouth again and they both stood there until they needed to breathe. Ashley laid her head on his shoulder as she ran her fingers through his hair. Andros was having trouble concentrating with Ashley pressed up against him like this. His heart was pounding so much he thought he might explode.
"Ash?" Andros whispered even though no one could hear him. "Do you, would you like to go watch a movie or something in my room?" he asked, a bit nervous and a bit embarrassed.
Ashley pulled away from him and nodded, not trusting her words to convey what she was feeling. Relieved, Andros pulled Ashley out of the simudeck and downstairs to his quarters.
They walked into Andros's room. He was afraid to go through with his plan. Second thoughts plagued him. "Do you want to watch something?" He asked, hoping she wouldn't, but wanting to give her an out option. He wasn't sure how to make the first move and was afraid she wasn't ready.
"Actually, "Ashley started as she walked up to the red ranger and threw her arms around him. "I was hoping to find out what that or something was." She whispered into his ear.
The feel of her warm breath in his ear caused Andros to tighten his grip on her, pulling her closer to him.
Ashley could stay there forever just staring and getting lost in his eyes. Feeling his anxiety, she took Cassie's advice and made the first move, by kissing along his jaw line.
Eventually he began to relax as his fingers traced her spine gently at first, then more firmly as he kept her pressed to him and she kissed her way to his lips.
Andros looked down and the longing mirrored in Ashley's eyes and all his fear and doubts disappeared. He gazed intently at her for a minute, and then smiling swooped the yellow ranger off her feet, holding her tightly to him and kissing her before placing her on his bed.
"Are you sure Ash?" Andros asked one last time, knowing once they started he wouldn't be able to hold back. Ashley's response was to grab his face and kiss him passionately and hard.
"I guess so." He murmured to himself, kissing her back, glad she had made the first move. He turned off every other instinct other than the one that allowed him to get lost in her touch and lose himself in the moment. There was no rational thought that could persuade him to stop now even if he wanted to. At that moment Ashley's lips reclaimed his and his only thoughts were filled with her.
At the Surf Spot...
Andros arrived at the Surf Spot and quickly spotted the group he was looking for. Actually he heard the group he was looking for. In the corner of the Surf Spot, his girlfriend and one of their friends were having a heated argument about something. He couldn't tell what but he knew it wasn't serious by the expressions on their faces. He stood and watched for a moment, enjoying the time just to watch her.
When Ashley laughed, her face just lit up, including her beautiful brown eyes. The eyes he found himself staring into every time they were together. He loved hearing her laugh; it sort of just floated above every other sound in the room, calling to him. He hesitated, hating to break up the good times, but knowing he had to. He owed her. Reluctantly Andros made his way silently to the table.
"Ash? Can I talk to you a second?" Ashley started a bit as his voice interrupted her debate with Carlos over which band was better, No Doubt or Linkin Park.
"Sure Andros." she replied, flashing him her bright smile. The other rangers just smiled as Andros pulled his girlfriend away. He led her outside to a bench and sat her down.
"What is it Andros?" She asked quietly. He was nervous and didn't want to look at her. She grabbed his hands to encourage him to speak. "Just tell me." The yellow ranger demanded softly.
"I have to go away Ash." Andros declared with a look of despair on his face.
Ashley's face crumbled at his admission, as tears fell from her eyes. Andros reached out to wipe away her tears, feeling his eyes tear up as well. "I don't want to, but KO-35 needs me." He whispered.
"When?" she whispered back, afraid of the answer. When he replied "Tomorrow." Ashley broke down. Shocked, Andros dropped to the bench next to her and pulled her into his arms, kissing her hair. "How long?"
"Honestly, I don't know. No longer than three months I hope." Ashley buried her head in his shoulder as her sobs tore through her body. Andros sat there silently, holding her. "But you just came back." She protested.
"I know. And I wish I could change it, but I can't. KO-35 is still my home." He pleaded with her to understand his point of view.
She understood, but it didn't make her feel better. Finally she got angry. "You could change it. You could just not go. Tell them to find someone else!" She yelled at him.
"Look Ash, I don't want to leave you again. I know three months are a long time for me to ask you to wait for me, and I'll understand if..." Andros began hesitatingly.
Outraged, Ashley stood up. "Don't Andros. I'm not going to break up with you! I've waited forever for you and I'll continue to wait for you for the rest of my life if I have to." She declared angrily. "How could you be so selfish? If you don't want to come back then you have to break up with me!"
"Ash..." Andros reached out to her but she pushed him away and took off past the other rangers who had just come outside to see if everything was ok.
"What happened?" Carlos inquired, watching his best friend take off. Andros didn't hear any of the conversations around him as he watched her run away from him. He could feel his heart breaking; he just didn't know what to do.
Zhane noticed his best friend's tearful, pale face and directed him back to the bench. "What is it Andros?"
Sighing, Andros responded, "I have to go away tomorrow."
"I take it Ashley didn't take it so well." Commented his sister Karone. "No, she didn't. But I don't blame her. I don't know how long I'll be gone, maybe three months." Andros confessed.
"Three months!" Zhane exclaimed. "Andros, do you really have to go? What could be so important?" he demanded of his best friend.
"It's KO-35. They need an ambassador for the alliance." Andros said quietly. "But why you?" Karone questioned her brother. "Who else is going to do it?" He replied defensively.
"But we need you Andros." TJ announced loudly. Before Andros could reply, TJ finished his sentence. "Ashley needs you." The red ranger sighed.
"What did you tell her?" Carlos wondered. "I've never seen her so upset before. It's not just because you're leaving is it?" The black ranger declared with sudden insight.
"Well I told her I didn't expect her to wait for me." Andros said as the other rangers just stared at him in shock.
"You said what?" shrieked Cassie. "Why did you do that for?" She shouted at him as she smacked him on the head.
"Calm down Cassie." TJ said, the blue ranger looking towards Andros for some sort of explanation as he restrained the furious pink ranger.
"I don't know. I didn't know when I was coming back, and I didn't want her to be tied down." He admitted, but stopped noticing the look of shock on their faces. "I thought she would be better off. "Andros finished quietly as he slumped against the table.
Carlos decided to take pity on the red ranger. "Better off?" He questioned incredulously. "Andros, I've never seen Ashley so happy as when she's with you or more miserable without you." He scolded his teammate. 'This is not happening.' Carlos thought miserably as he waited for Andros to respond. He couldn't bear to watch his best friend go through this again.
It seemed like eternity before Andros spoke. Andros just looked up at him. "So what should I do?" He whispered, completely clueless.
Zhane smiled as he put his arm around his distraught friend. "Lucky for you I'm around. You go find Ashley and make out with her..." He informed him with a sly look on his face.
"Um, Zhane, don't you mean make up?" Cassie giggled at his slip up.
Zhane just smirked in reply. "I know what I meant Cassie. Anyway, Andros go find her and change and go up to the simudeck at 7pm." As Andros departed, Zhane filled in the rest of the team with his brilliant plan.
Andros took off in search of Ashley. Thinking a minute, he decided he knew where she went. It was where she always went when she was upset. He headed towards Angel Grove Park to a set of swings and was not surprised when he saw the brunette sitting on the swing, her feet dragging slowly through the dirt.
He walked up behind her and placed his hands over hers on the chains. She looked up at him and met his hazel eyes with her teary brown eyes. He slowly made his way to the front of her swing and knelt down in front of her and gently removed her hands from the chains and grasped them tightly in his.
"I'm sorry Ash." He stated simply as he lifted her chin and looked into her eyes. "I don't want to lose you. I just want you to be happy." Andros moved one of his hands to wipe away the tears that gathered in her eyes.
"You make me happy Andros." She said quietly, a small smile playing on her lips. And she knew it was true. No matter how many times he had to leave, she knew she could never leave him. He was her soul mate, her one true love. Nothing could change that. But lately, she was beginning to wonder. Every time it came time for him to leave, it brought her more doubts. Maybe the next three months would actually be good for them; it would give her time to think about things. Could she really handle a life with Andros leaving every so often and for months at a time? What about a family?
He took that moment to lean in and kiss her lips deeply, shaking her away from her straying thoughts. She decided to enjoy their last night together. Sighing, Ashley managed to free one hand and placed it on his cheek, and he took his freehand and wrapped it around her keeping her close. They stayed that way, content in their embrace for a few minutes.
"Ash, will you go to the simudeck with me?" Andros invited as he stood up from the ground and pulled her off the swing.
"I'd love to." She replied smiling, her hand tightly wrapped in his and they teleported back to the ship. Andros dropped her off at her room, giving her a quick kiss. "See you in an hour." He commented with a smile watching her door close, knowing the next few hours with Ashley were precious.
"So did you make out with her?" Zhane called from where he was sprawled out on his bed, waiting for Andros.
"Zhane." Andros sighed exasperated, but not revealing anything. "She did agree to go to the simudeck with me."
"Good enough. Here's the plan." Zhane described as he jumped off the bed. "We programmed dinner and dancing. And then you should take her back here and watch a movie or something." Zhane finished giving Andros a knowing look.
"What do you mean by or something?" The red ranger demanded, a blush coming over him.
"Andros, I know you're not really that dense. Listen you love Ashley and she loves you right?" Without bothering for a response he continued. "So what's the big deal?" he asked as they sorted through Andros's closet for something to wear.
"The big deal," Andros interrupted, "is that I'm leaving tomorrow. I don't want it to be like a one night stand." He argued with his carefree best friend. "She deserves better than that."
"Well she deserves better than you leaving her every few months too." Zhane rebuked his best friend. That statement shocked Andros to the core. "What if she leaves me?" he whispered.
"You better make sure she doesn't then. It's your decision whether or not she'll leave you Andros." He advised the somber boy. He watched as his best friend weighed the options in his head.
"At least leave the opportunity open all right?" Zhane continued on persistently until Andros relented. "I'll think about it okay?" Finally he managed to get the red ranger into the shower while he put together an outfit.
'Stubborn fool.' He muttered as he plucked out a red shirt from the closet. Zhane knew they two of them had been dating for a while now, and he couldn't understand why they hadn't had sex yet. He had picked up from his fellow teammates that on earth, it was relatively custom to wait until marriage, but his carefree lifestyle rebelled against that idea. Who knew what tomorrow would bring? He learned to live for the moment and enjoy life to the fullest. As long as Andros and Ashley were happy though, he had no reason to interfere. But now, how could they be happy when they spent more time apart then together. Zhane wondered what it would take for them to realize how much they needed each other. Whether they realized it or not, they depended on each other for so much.
"I think you should wear this dress Ash." Cassie declared, picking out Ashley's new golden dress from her closet.
"Are you sure Cass? You don't think it's too revealing? We both know how Andros can be." Ashley said uncertainly. 'I know how Andros can be. He doesn't mind being affectionate, but anything more than kissing and he gets all flustered. I don't want to push him away.' Cassie watched the conflicting emotions run across Ashley's face and knew her friend was deep in thought. She realized it was a big decision for them, but really, what were they waiting for?
"Yeah," Cassie conceded. "But maybe he needs to be pushed a little." She said as if reading Ashley's thoughts. "I think Andros will love it. And if you don't wear it for him, who else are you going to wear it for?" She argued. Cassie shoved the dress towards her friend and waited for her to put it on.
Ashley smiled. She agreed with Cassie, Andros would love this dress. She quickly removed her jeans and shirt and slipped on the short gold dress.
"Wow! It looks great Ashley." Cassie exclaimed as Ashley spun around happily in her dress. "Andros won't be able to resist you!" She added mischievously, winking to make sure Ashley got her hint. To her credit Ashley understand Cassie's hidden meaning, blushing at the implication.
"Maybe I shouldn't wear it." Ashley mumbled, her good mood destroyed. "He's leaving tomorrow and I don't want to make things more complicated than they already are."
"But you love him and he loves you Ash. It's no big deal. Now you're wearing that dress and that's final." The pink ranger persuaded her. "Now sit. Let's fix your hair." She decided firmly, changing subjects and watching Ashley relax again.
A little before 7 o'clock Andros left his room to go up to the simudeck and wait for Ashley. He was wearing a nice pair of black pants and a deep red dress shirt as he glanced at the atmosphere around him. Zhane and his sister had done a great job decorating and picking a restaurant. It would definitely be a night to remember. He couldn't help but dwell on the conversation he had with Zhane as he waited for Ashley to arrive. He wondered if he could actually go through with the plan when he heard the doors open. He turned around to see Ashley standing in the doorway with a smile on her face as she took in their surroundings.
He took that moment to gaze at her. She looked amazing, he thought. That dress. It was going to distract him all night. It was a shiny gold dress that sparkled in the light and clung to her every curve, revealing cleavage and an open back and stopping above her knees.
"Ashley." He whispered as he made his way over to her. "You look incredible. Your dress, it's amazing." He declared in awe as he pulled her into his arms.
"You look great too." Ashley complimented as she allowed her arms to go around his neck. They stayed there for a minute, looking at each other before deciding to sit down and eat dinner. They relaxed over dinner, enjoying each other's company and not dwelling on tomorrow.
"Would you like to dance?" Andros asked, holding out his hand to Ashley. "Sure." She replied, accepting his hand as he pulled her out onto the dance floor. A Leann Rimes song played over the radio.
"I need you like water
Like breath, like rain
I need you like mercy
From Heaven's gate
There's a freedom in your arms
That carries me through
I need you"
They started swaying gently before Ashley wrapped her arms around his neck and Andros placed his hands lightly on her bare back, enjoying that sensation. Ashley was buried in Andros's neck and was pleased when she was rewarded by Andros lightly caressing her back, causing her to lean in closer to him, pressing her body into him.
Andros kissed Ashley's temple gently before pulling away in order to kiss his way to her lips. A small sigh escaped her mouth as he made his way to her lips. She returned his kiss with an intense passion that surprised them both.
Before she could apologize though, he captured her mouth again and they both stood there until they needed to breathe. Ashley laid her head on his shoulder as she ran her fingers through his hair. Andros was having trouble concentrating with Ashley pressed up against him like this. His heart was pounding so much he thought he might explode.
"Ash?" Andros whispered even though no one could hear him. "Do you, would you like to go watch a movie or something in my room?" he asked, a bit nervous and a bit embarrassed.
Ashley pulled away from him and nodded, not trusting her words to convey what she was feeling. Relieved, Andros pulled Ashley out of the simudeck and downstairs to his quarters.
They walked into Andros's room. He was afraid to go through with his plan. Second thoughts plagued him. "Do you want to watch something?" He asked, hoping she wouldn't, but wanting to give her an out option. He wasn't sure how to make the first move and was afraid she wasn't ready.
"Actually, "Ashley started as she walked up to the red ranger and threw her arms around him. "I was hoping to find out what that or something was." She whispered into his ear.
The feel of her warm breath in his ear caused Andros to tighten his grip on her, pulling her closer to him.
Ashley could stay there forever just staring and getting lost in his eyes. Feeling his anxiety, she took Cassie's advice and made the first move, by kissing along his jaw line.
Eventually he began to relax as his fingers traced her spine gently at first, then more firmly as he kept her pressed to him and she kissed her way to his lips.
Andros looked down and the longing mirrored in Ashley's eyes and all his fear and doubts disappeared. He gazed intently at her for a minute, and then smiling swooped the yellow ranger off her feet, holding her tightly to him and kissing her before placing her on his bed.
"Are you sure Ash?" Andros asked one last time, knowing once they started he wouldn't be able to hold back. Ashley's response was to grab his face and kiss him passionately and hard.
"I guess so." He murmured to himself, kissing her back, glad she had made the first move. He turned off every other instinct other than the one that allowed him to get lost in her touch and lose himself in the moment. There was no rational thought that could persuade him to stop now even if he wanted to. At that moment Ashley's lips reclaimed his and his only thoughts were filled with her.