Can Never Turn Back

Chapter 4: Changes

Ashley came home from school and she went upstairs to her bedroom. She sat down in the rocking chair and rocked back and forth with a hand on her slightly swollen stomach. Being five months along now. She started humming the song "La Mer" to her unborn baby. "You want to continue a tradition until the baby's gone?" Caroline asked. Ashley didn't answer her, she just kept humming. "Is this how it's going to be? You not speaking to me?" She asked. Ashley rocked back and forth in her rocking chair with a hand on her swollen stomach.

"Ashley answer your mother," Greg ordered.

Ashley continued to hum before silently singing "La mer" to her baby. "I want to keep my baby," was the only thing she said to them.

"You're not keep this baby," he told her.

Ashley then started ignoring them again. She ran circles over her stomach with a small smile on her face. "What are you smiling at?" Greg asked. Ashley continued to smile and she rocked back and forth in her chair.

"Let's leave her alone Greg," Caroline told him.

Ashley waited for them to leave before picking up her lamp and throwing it at the door. "I'M NOT GIVING UP MY BABY!" She shouted. She picked up her phone and she dialed a familiar number.

"Hello?" A voice answered.

Ashley let out a small sob. "Kimberly?" She asked. There was silence on the other end for a minute.

"Ashley?" Kimberly asked.

"Yeah."

"Sweetie, I heard about the baby and what your parents are planning to do."

"I want my baby, Kim."

Kimberly sighed. "Come down to Miami. I can take care of you. I have enough money from when I won the Pan-Globals. I can help you, Ashley. Run away and never turn back, you can have the baby here," Kimberly suggested. Ashley sat down and let out a sob.

"They---They'll take it from me. They'll force me to give it away," Ashley told her.

"If you come here I can protect you from your parents."

Ashley placed her hands over her face and let out another sob. "I'll send you the plane ticket to get you out here," Kimberly informed.

"They'll see it," Ashley told her.

"Not if you get there first."

Ashley nodded her head slowly. "Take your time to plan this out, Ashley. Be discreet. You want what's best for your baby right?" Kimberly asked.

"The best thing for my baby is me raising him or her," Ashley replied.

"I'll send the ticket out. It should be there in a few days or so. Make sure to come home early for the next week."

"Got it."

Ashley let out a shaky sigh. "Thank you, Kim," she told her.

"No problem, sweetie. I'll see you soon," Kimberly answered.

"Bye."

Then they hung up. Ashley laid down on her bed and closed her eyes.

(Flashback)

Ashley walked up on the roof and saw Andros staring off into space. "Andros?" She called. She walked up to him and stood next to him. "What are you thinking about?" She asked.

"My sister...Karone. The last time I saw her was in that park over there," he replied.

Ashley looked over at the park he was pointing at. "Something tells me I'm really close to finding her," he commented. Ashley wrapped her arm around his back and placed her hand on his arm.

"I hope you're right. Come on," she answered.

She stood up and they walked away. She wrapped her arm around his shoulders with a small smile.

(End Flashback)

Ashley woke up and she felt the tears falling down her face. "Andros," she whispered. She sat up and placed a hand on her stomach. She gasped when she felt the first kick. The tears started up again when she felt it again. "Oh my gosh! It kicked! It kicked my baby kicked!" She gasped. She rocked back and forth on her bed with a hand on her stomach. "The baby kick," she whispered.

(KO-35)

Andros was tossing and turning in his bed. "No...Ashley...don't...leave her alone...go away...leave us alone. NO!" Andros shouted. He shot up from bed, breathing heavily, and wiped the sweat from his forehead. He pushed his hair out of his face and got out of bed. Andros closed his eyes when there was a knock on the door.

"Andros," a voice giggled on the other side.

Andros felt sick to his stomach. "I know you're in there, come on," the voice insisted. Andros used his telekinesis to lock it. "Come on, Andros, open up," the person persisted. There was silence for a minute. "Fine," the person sighed. Andros heard a key insert into his door and looked up to see her standing there.

She had shoulder-length black hair, brown eyes, she was wearing black boots, silver pants, a purple shirt, a silver jacket, and a silver clip was keeping her hair back.

"How did you get in here?" He asked. She sighed and held up the data key.

"Your dad gave me one," she replied.

Andros pushed his hair out of his face again. "What do you want, Larissa?" He asked. Larissa smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"I want to be with you," she replied.

"Yeah well, take a number."

Andros pulled her arms away from his neck and grabbed his jacket. "And where are you going?" She asked.

"Away from here," he replied.

"We were supposed to spend the day together."

"You and my dad planned that. You two should spend the day together. I'm leaving."

Larissa sneered as Andros left. "You will be mine," she hissed. She looked up when his video screen beeped. She walked over and pushed the button. Ashley's face appeared on the screen.

"Hey, Andros, it's me. I know you haven't answered any of my last messages, but I wanted to keep you updated on the baby if you even care, but the baby kicked today for the first time. I'm happy and I hope you are too. I'll be moving in with Kimberly once my plane ticket comes in. I can keep the baby once I move in with her. Well, anyways, I wanted to tell you about the baby kicking. I hope to talk to you soon. I love you, bye," Ashley explained.

Larissa smiled evilly and she pushed the delete button. "Bye bye, pretty girl," she laughed.