Web hosting Custom Email SiteBuilder

Disclaimer: Carlos Santiago and Ashley Hammond, plus anyone else in this fanfic, are the registered property of Saban Enterprises; no copyright infringement is meant by this, and I am not, nor do I desire to, making any profit at all on this. Author's Note: This is also in the "Rangers in Romance" fanfic series, but it goes beyond the Rangers that we have worked with until now to enter the Turbo era. Or more precisely, that rather amusing slice of time when Carlos and Ashley had been introduced, but weren't Rangers yet. In the Romance timeline, that means this is after "The Power of Love.". This is a little different than the others, since the beginning of this takes place actually DURING a PRT episode: "A Drive to Win" to be precise. I specifically watched this episode in slow motion to recreate the dialogue accurately, and I apologize. I just wanted to get into the heads of these two for a while, and show things that Saban didn't.

He'd seen her around school, and at all the soccer games, of course. But he didn't know her name. He wanted to, though, and he'd hoped that walking her home would be a good chance to find out some things about her. She was so pretty, he wasn't certain if his pulse was racing because of the fight they'd just had with the Piranatrons, or the fact she was within three inches of him.

Well, I gotta start somewhere, he thought. "By the way, my name's Carlos," he introduced himself, holding out his hand. She shook it politely, with a smile on her face.

"Ashley," she replied. Wow, he's actually talking to me. She'd been captivated by the dark-eyed soccer player almost from the moment she saw him, and had wondered how she could introduce herself without seeming pushy. Was it possible this strange attack could do it for them? Gotta say something nice. . ."Hey, I saw the way you stayed and fought those creeps. I thought that was pretty cool."

Carlos smiled. Ashley. What a beautiful name. "You weren't so bad yourself," he congratulated her. Actually, I thought you were awesome.

Ashley grinned, tossing her head to one side. "You know, you didn't have to walk me home. I can take care of myself, too," I might not be a major martial artist, but I at LEAST know how to defend myself. You're asking for trouble living in Angel Grove if you don't. Ordinary people weren't often attacked in the monster-infested town, but every now and then, accidents did happen. It was best to be prepared.

"I know, I--I needed some excuse to talk to you," he blurted out, blushing a fiery red as he did so. Oh, she's going to think I'm an idiot now! That wasn't a smart thing to say, Santiago!

Ashley ducked her head a little as they turned a corner, and a fiery blush spread across her own cheeks. "Really?" she murmured a little. "You wanted to talk to me?"

"Sure," he decided he might as well go for broke. "I've wanted to talk to you for a long time now. Well, a couple of weeks, at least."

"About what?"

Carlos' throat choked and closed up. He had thought and envisioned a thousand different scenarios which would lead up to him asking her out for the first time, but none of them had ever included the fact they'd be walking home from an attack at the soccer field. Out of his mouth came the first thing that entered his mind.

"Would you like to go see a movie tonight? The early show, since we both need some rest for tomorrow?"

Ashley was taken aback; she'd liked the soccer hotshot ever since she first saw him, but the last thing on her mind was the fact that he'd ask her out! What do I say? What do I say? Say something, Hammond! "I'd love to!" she grinned. Why did I say that? I should be practicing and resting tonight. Oh, what the heck. ..I haven't had a date in six months, I've been too busy trying to get in shape for cheerleading. ..I could use some fun! And Carlos could be the perfect person to have some with.

"Great!" he grinned. "I think if we hurry, we should have time to change and catch the next showing!" he glanced at his watch. "It'll be in an hour. Meet you there in thirty minutes?"

Ashley nodded, pausing on the sidewalk. "This is my place," she said, gesturing to the large house on the hill. Carlos looked at it, and it was all he could do not to let his jaw drop so far it hit the ground.

"You live there?" it wasn't exactly a mansion, but it could have fooled someone who didn't know much better. "It's beautiful!"

Ashley smiled. "Thanks. And thanks for walking me home, Carlos. I really liked it."

She looked just a little nervous, and knew it, as she took a step away from him and towards the house. "I'll see you in thirty minutes?" she wasn't all that certain she really wanted to go inside just yet. Even if they didn't fall in love, and she knew that the odds on that were good since she already had a crush on him, and he did on her, apparently, as well, she had the very strong feeling she had just made one very good friend.

"Yeah," Carlos stepped away himself, looking down the road to the small offshoot path that would eventually lead to his own house. "See you then?"

The two of them waved to each other as they started apart, Ashley up to her house, and Carlos down to his. Both of them were humming just under their breaths, a merry, happy tune. This quite literally looked to be the beginning of one beautiful friendship.

So far, however, things looked like they were going perfectly. He had shown up five minutes after she had, dressed casually, but impeccably at the same time. They'd shared the popcorn and drink bill, and he'd paid for her ticket and his both. All in all, the perfect 90s date.

She's beautiful, Carlos was musing more on his date than on the movie screen, where various things were blowing up with fair amounts of noise. I wonder if she's got a boyfriend. ..stuff it, Santiago, if she had one, would she be here with you? No.

"It's a great movie," he whispered softly, smiling as she turned her head to look directly into her deep brown eyes. "I'm glad you came, Ashley."

She smiled a little. "You know, this is the first time I've ever been on a date with someone who I really officially met only today?"

"Really?" he knew he was blushing, and was glad his skin tone hid it to a degree. "Same for me."

Ashley smiled at him, and thanks to the darkness of the theater and his own skin, she was just barely able to see his blush. "I'm really having a good time," she murmured. This is the best. . .

Slowly, carefully, Carlos reached out, first brushing her fingertips with his own, then sliding his hand all the way around hers. She glanced at him, then squeezed his hand every bit as gently as he had touched hers. Hand in hand, they watched the rest of the movie.

"Yeah," Carlos hadn't been thinking nearly as much about the team as she had been, or about soccer, for a change. Until she mentioned it, he hadn't thought about soccer all night, actually. "I've got to get some rest too."

As silence wrapped around them, they walked through the park, taking the long way home. They weren't that far from where Ashley would be able to walk home by herself when they stopped, turning as one to look at each other.

"I had a really great time this afternoon, Carlos," she said. "Think we could do it again some time?"

"I'd love to," he agreed, feeling already like he was walking on air. He shot up to the stratosphere when she leaned over and quietly kissed him on the cheek.

"I'll see you tomorrow," was all she said as she waved, and headed for home. Carlos stared after her for a few moments, then smiled, going down the street himself.

Oh, yeah, he nodded sharply. They would most definitely be seeing more of each other in the days to come, be it as friends, as boyfriend and