Ashley Hammond had seen lots of guys before, but none of them captured her attention like Andros had. Since the first moment she had seen him, only a few hours earlier, she had felt something pass between them. She didn't know what it was, but she didn't intend to rest until she found out.
All her life she had dreamed about finding just the right guy, just the perfect one who would sweep her off her feet and bowl her heart over so completely that there would never be any doubt that they were meant and made for each other. Her parents had had that sort of relationship, and she had thought at one time she could find it in Carlos. That had failed, though, and she was once more left at loose ends.
I wonder if I should talk to Cassie about it, she thought, glancing towards the door of her new room. Andros had assigned each of them quarters on the MegaShip; hers and Cassie's were on the same side of the hallway, while T.J. and Carlos were a few feet away. Andros, by perhaps no coincidence, was as far from them as he could get. She wondered what it would take for them to get through that icy resolve of his.
She stood up, almost stepping towards the door, when she stopped. She couldn't talk to Cassie about this; Cassie had her own love life. The Pink Ranger had come into space for two purposes: to find Zordon, and to find the Phantom Ranger. She had had a look in her eyes as of combined peace and concern when they had been in the Shuttle, peace because she was finally coming to the stars where he would be, and concern because she didn't know where he was yet. Ashley held no doubts that they would find each other.
But what will I find? she asked herself, sitting back down on her bunk and turning her attention back to the stars she'd been watching go sailing by. He's lived in this environment for who knows how long. He's got secrets I can't even begin to comprehend. He hardly wanted us as teammates. ..why would he want anything more. ..and why would he want it from me?
She tried to tell herself he probably was a player, a guy who had went through more girlfriends than he could conveniently count. After all, who could resist that charming, seldom-seen smile, that splendid striped hair, the air of complete mystery. . .then again, maybe that was what pushed them away, because he wouldn't let anyone into his heart. She didn't know. ..but she wanted to find out.
Ashley wondered if she would ever be able to talk to him. And more, if he would ever be able to talk to her. He had told them about the ship, taught them how to use their new powers, but nothing beyond 'business' talk could be pried out of him. Who would be the one to break that shield in his heart and find out what pulsed within? She hoped it would be her.
Outside the small window, the stars flew by in magnificent patterns. A single tear shone in her eye, one born of love and of grief, of purest joy and purest pain, of things unknown and emotions untold. Slowly, silently, she swore to herself, that be it as friend or girlfriend, no matter what, she would break into the walls Andros had erected around his heart, and she would find out what had happened to hurt him so much. And she would do everything she could to heal it all.
I don't know if you're the true love I've looked for, Andros. But if you are, and if you love me, then nothing will keep us apart, nothing at all.
She closed her eyes, and let the universe sweep by, the starry spectacle of the cosmos that was her home now. She was a Space Ranger. . .and she was going back to Earth with her team...she was going home.
