A/N: this is the first time I write a Mirandy fic. I fell in love with them thanks to Gun Brooke's fics. If you watched the deleted scenes of DWP, you saw that during the Benefit event Stephen, Miranda's husband, was drunk. Andrea distracted Mr. Ravitz and Miranda thanked her.

This fic is starting from there.

CHAPTER 1

I'm walking fast over the front door. I can finally leave the Benefit event and run at home for Nate's birthday. Miranda asked me to be there so I could help Emily with the names of the guests. Of course, because Miranda always asks gently. God, it was Nate's party. I was going to leave the office sooner than usual when Miranda came up with this brilliant idea and changed all my plans. As usual.

I'M ON MY WAY.

I send the text to Nate, hoping they are still celebrating. I'm walking down the stairs outside the building. It's not easy with this long black dress and heels. The phone starts vibrating in my hand. I look down and open the text.

DON'T WORRY. I'M STAYING AT DOUG'S FOR A WHILE. HAVE FUN.

What? I stop right at the end of the stairs, like someone's frozen me. Why Nate is gonna stay at Doug's? Is he really so mad at me? I know I'm so terribly late, but I was working. He knows that I can't say no to Miranda. I suddenly find hard breathing. I can feel my eyes filling up with tears and ready to burst out. I take a look around me and see, with a pleasant surprise, that all the photographers are not there anymore, so I take few steps over the outer part of the stairs and sat down. The tears start falling down, tracing my cheeks, one after the other.

Minutes pass and I don't have the courage to call a cab, not yet. I don't want to go in that empty apartment.

I turn fast when I hear a male voice raising behind my back, followed by a female one. I'm surprised to see Miranda walking fast behind Stephen down the stairs, just few meters from me. I turn back and lower my face, I don't want Miranda to see me, not like that.

'Stephen, wait. Please. I can't just leave like that –'

'Why not? You always do, right? Fifteen minutes then I'll leave, you always say.'

I don't need to look to know that he's drunk.

During the Benefit event, he walked in the room. He was clearly high and he embarrassed Miranda in front of her friends. Especially Irv Ravitz. He's not actually Miranda's friend but Stephen referred to him as little guy. Miranda tried to calm him down, but it wasn't working so I tried to distract Mr. Ravitz. When I turned I met Miranda's glance and she thanked me. I mean, REALLY THANKED ME. I stared at her beautiful lips and I'm pretty sure she said thank you. Maybe, for once, I did something good.

I'm forcing myself to stop thinking of what happed and try to focus on what's happening. Stephen called a cab that stopped right in front of them. 'You know what? I don't care. You stay here. I leave.'

'Where are you going?'

I'm one hundred percent sure I never heard that tone of Miranda's voice. She's hurt.

'I don't know. Just – Just don't wait up for me.' Stephen gets in the cab and slams the door.

I can't believe he really did that. To Miranda.

Miranda takes a deep breath, I can hear that. I feel so sorry for her that for a brief moment I thought to stand up and hug her but the few neurons left in my brain collided and prevented me to do something really stupid.

'Andrea?'

NO. DAMN. NO! I wipe fast the tears from my cheeks and look up at her. I see her walking toward me.

'What are you doing there?'

I have no choice. I stand up.

'I – I'm waiting for my cab'. I just lied to my boss. What the hell is wrong with me?

'Are you crying?' We are so close that I can smell her wonderful scent so well now.

'It's okay. Just a bad evening, I guess.'

'I can tell that.' Miranda's voice is slowly coming back to the normal tone. 'How about I offer you something to drink at the townhouse?'

'W – what?' I don't know if I heard that right.

'Oh, Andrea. Why do I always have to repeat myself?' She takes a deep breath. 'Would you like to step by the townhouse with me and have something to drink? Did you understand it or shall I repeat again?'

'No!' I really need to control myself. 'I mean, no. You don't have to repeat. And yes, I would like that.'

'Very well.' Miranda grabs her phone and calls Roy.

Am I dreaming? Or is it a nightmare? I don't know how to feel about all this. I'm going to have a drink, with Miranda, at her townhouse. The possibilities are two: either she's drunk like Stephen or she's going to fire me for overhearing her conversation with her not-so-lovely husband. I would bet on the second one. Oh, God.

On our way to my townhouse none of us said anything. I don't know exactly what pushed me to invite Andrea at my townhouse for a drink. What I was thinking? I'm sure she heard everything Stephen said, but I don't care about that, what I care about is that she was crying. And not because of me. Right?

Roy left us in front of the townhouse and I lead Andrea inside, till the living room.

'Have a seat. I'm gonna get something to drink.'

'Thank you.'

I grab two glasses and a bottle of the best whiskey I have. I need something really strong. Walking back in the leaving room, I see Andrea sitting on the couch, looking around. She looks so fragile when she's worried.

'So.. are you going to tell me what made you cry or you're just waiting for me to deliberately ask you?' Sitting down on the couch in front of her, I start pouring the whiskey in the glasses.

'Nate' she says, 'I – I mean, my boyfriend. I think my relationship with him is on the knife edge.' She isn't looking at me. She's staring down at her shaking hands.

'Andrea.' I captured her attention to hand her over the glass. She thanks me before to take a long sip of it. She's really in pain and I can't help but thinking of how unfair it is. I take a sip of whiskey, feeling it burning down my throat. I rarely drink alcohol but it feels so good in some occasions. Like this one. 'Go on.'

'Oh. S – sorry. I know you don't like long explanations.'

She's right, I don't but I suddenly need to know what hurt her so badly.

'He doesn't approve my job or the fact that I work so much. He doesn't understand how important this job is for me. He – he thinks that I'm a different person. He believes that – '

Suddenly she stops. If I was myself I wouldn't care about what she was going to say but not tonight. 'What? What does he believe?'

Andrea took a deep, probably to find the right words to say. 'He believes that working for – for you changes me in a way he can't understand. That it's turning me into someone he is not used to.. into someone he doesn't like. Not anymore.'

I can't take my eyes off of her, not even for a brief second. I can see her eyes filling up with tears. Tears that she's trying so hard to fight back. I know exactly how she's feeling. I've been married twice and yet none of my husband never truly understood me or my job. A job that is compromising my marriage with Stephen.

'Well, I don't know this Nate but he's right.' God, Andrea is looking at me like never before. She can't believe what I just said. Understandable. 'You're not the same girl that walked into my office that day. You have to, at least, admit that to yourself, Andrea.'

She just nods. I wonder if she just does that as obligation or because she believes it.

'I know you are a different person. You've changed.. in a better way.'

'I don't think that's what he meant by changing.'

'The important thing is: do you like yourself? This new version of yourself?' I just want her to see how much potential she's wasting by believing what everybody tells her. I've been there, so many times that I literally lost count. If I ever paid any attention to all those people who told me I wasn't good enough I would've never become the Editor-In-Chief of Runway Magazine. 'Because I do.'

I take a long sip of my whiskey as Andrea was staring at me. Shocked. I'm quite shocked too. I didn't plan to say those words and yet, I did. Out loud. Andrea's eyes are wide open. I have to fix whatever this is.

'Don't look at me like that. You know that I meant.'

'Y – yes. Of course, Miranda.' She smiles at me, before to take another sip of her whiskey.

Am I dreaming or am I having hallucinations? First. Miranda thanks me. Second. She invites me at the townhouse for a drink. Third. She's making me compliments. What is going on? I keep thinking of the two possibilities: since Miranda is not drunk and she means every single word she said so far, that means the word fired is about to coming out of her mouth. Sooner or later, Miranda will stand up, she'll fire me and I'll never see her again. WHAT?

I drink a long, maybe too long, sip of whiskey. I need to stop thinking of what Miranda will or not will do. Not tonight.

'That – that dress really suit you, Miranda.'

A suicide mission. Great idea, Andrea. What a brilliant idea.

Miranda simply smiled at me. A real smile. My God! But the silence is filling up the room once again. What am I supposed to say? I literally told everything about my critical sentimental situation to my boss and that was already enough.

The front door slams, making me jump on my seat. I look fast in the hallway then back at Miranda. She's surprised as much as I am.

'Is that –'

'Stephen? Yes, I suppose he is.'

I don't know what do. I should probably leave this house before he could see me but how? I keep looking at Miranda. I would give anything to get an order from her right now but nothing. She's just staring at the hallway, in silence. I hear he's walking upstairs. My heart starts beating faster. I'm panicking. Once again, I'm gonna be in the middle of a private situation that concerns only Miranda and Stephen. I should know better after the first time I delivered the Book at Miranda's house. I talked with the twins and walked upstairs, where I found my boss and her husband discussing because she didn't show up at the restaurant. I really don't want to be in that situation again.

'Miranda, darling.' He walks in the living room. I doubt he noticed my presence. 'I'm so sorry for what I said –'.

Stephen stops talking. He's looking right in my eyes now. He's furious.

'What the hell is she doing here?' He yells, turning to Miranda. His finger is pointing me.

'I invited her.'

I stand up fast. The situation is getting worse every single second. Stephen is closer to me than I realized. 'I'm sorry, Mr. Tomlinson. I shouldn't be here without –'

'Don't be ridiculous, Andrea. You don't have to apologize for that.' Miranda interrupts me and stands up. 'I told you, Stephen. I asked Andrea if I could offer her something to drink and she accepted. That's all.'

It's so unfamiliar to hear her saying those last words to her husband. I'm used to hear them plenty times, every single day, but not in a situation like this. I remember the day Emily told me that when Miranda says that's all it means the conversation is over. Done. You just have to turn around and walk away. Apparently Stephen doesn't know that.

'Oh because it's so easy to say no to Miranda Priestly. In what universe is that possible, exactly?' Stephen is laughing now. I glance at Miranda, she's getting nervous. Like, really nervous. 'She works for you for more than ten hours a day. She steps at this home every single evening to deliver that damn Book. We discussed at the event and you just invited her?'

Stephen's overreacting. He is staring at Miranda but I speak up before she can. 'Mr. Tomlinson, I – I thought it was nice to accept Miranda's offer. It was just a drink and – and I was about to leave so, if you excuse me.' I turn around and take a step toward the hallway. I would've never done something like that in front of Miranda, leaving her without "her permission" but I really don't want to be involved in their privacy more than I already am.

'You're not going anywhere.' Stephen grabs my arm, preventing me from moving.

'Stephen –' Miranda takes a step toward us.

'No! What's so special about Andrea? It looks like you'd be more interested in sleeping with her than with your Mr. Priestly lately. You have time for the twins, for your job, for your assistants but not for your husband.'

What? Did I hear it right? I can't take off my head his words. Miranda. Sleeping. With. Me. But the more he raises his voice, the more he tightens his hand around my arm.

'Please. This – it's hurting me.' Why my eyes are full of tears again? I pull my arm but in vain. 'This is none of my business. I just want to lea– '

'Of course it's your business. Can't you see it, Andrea? Miranda always wants you around. You're her bitch!'

'THAT'S ENOUGH!' Miranda raises her voice. 'You're drunk. You don't mean any of those words. Yes, we discussed and you walked away. You can't come back and act like this when she didn't do anything wrong.'

Miranda is really taking my side against Stephen? I've never seen her protective side. She's worried, and upset, and angry. But most of all, it looks like she's scared.

'Now. LET. ANDREA. GO. You're hurting her.'

A tear drops down my eye and traces my cheek. Yes, he's hurting me but that's not the reason why I'm crying. Stephen slowly releases the grip and let my arm go before walking away. Miranda keeps looking at him until he was out of her sight. Another tear falls down, I wipe it fast but it's impossible that Miranda didn't see it. She's looking at me now but I can't stand her glace. It's too hard.

'Andrea–' Her voice is broken.

I shake my head, fighting back the tears. Tonight wasn't supposed to end up like this.

'Goodnight, Miranda.' I don't want her to say anything. It'd be too painful, no matter what she was going to say. I walk fast out of the living room, almost running down the stairs. I have to leave this house behind me soon.

CONTINUES IN CHAPTER 2

I really, really, hope you enjoyed it.

Let me know your thoughts, by reviewing it.

Love,

Daisy!