Ashley woke the next morning with Andros' arms wrapped around her. She smiled. She rolled over to see if he was awake and saw his hazel eyes boring into hers. He kissed her gently.
"I love you," he said.
"I love you too," she said. Andros kissed her again.
"You're so beautiful," he said softly.
Ashley blushed. "I'm only wearing pajamas."
"You'd look beautiful in anything," Andros said. He kissed her and grinned. "Or in nothing."
Ashley's blush deepened. "Andros . . ."
He tightened his grip on her. "We can wait to find out."
The lights flickered on. "It is time to get up," Deca announced.
"Deca!" they complained.
"You were already awake." Deca sounded reproving, as if the only way they were allowed to wake up was by her signal.
"That's not the point," Ashley said. She glanced at Andros. "Should we get up?"
"Can I just stay here with you?" Andros asked hopefully.
Ashley laughed. "It's tempting. But we should tell the others that I'm not dead."
"It's not funny," Andros said softly. "You almost were."
"But I'm not, and I'm fine," Ashley said. "Come on. I'm starving!"
Andros stood up, and helped Ashley to her feet. Her legs managed to support her but she was still unsteady. Andros wrapped his arm around her waist, and Ashley leaned against him gratefully. Together, they made their way to breakfast, where the others looked up anxiously as Ashley came in.
"Are you okay?" Karone asked anxiously. "I'm so sorry. It's all my fault."
Ashley looked from Andros to Karone. "You sound like your brother."
"So you're not mad at me?"
"No," Ashley said. "But if you keep blaming yourselves I will be."
"What do you want to eat?" Andros asked, letting go of her as she slid onto a stool.
"Waffles," Ashley said decisively. "With blueberries. And some orange juice. And some scrambled eggs."
As soon as Andros set her plate down in front of her, Ashley attacked her food. She had two huge Belgian waffles smothered in blueberries and whipped cream, a tall glass of of cold, sweet orange juice, and a small mountain of scrambled eggs. (A/N: I was hungry when I wrote this. Sorry.)
"Slow down," Karone warned. "Your stomach's been empty for three days. You'll get sick."
"If I eat slow, will you all stop worrying about me?" Ashley asked.
"No," they all chorused.
"But we'll keep it to ourselves," T.J. promised.
Andros ate as hungrily as Ashley did.
"Rangers, I detect a disturbance," Deca announced.
"What is it, Deca?" Cassie asked.
"There is an asteroid on a collision course with Earth," Deca said. "It materialized in the center of the system. It is not a natural asteroid."
"Let's go," Carlos said.
Andros looked at Ashley. "Is there any way I can convince you to stay here?"
She shook her head.
"Let's rocket!" they all cried together.
"Deca, form the Astro Megazord," Andros ordered.
