I've wanted to write something for this pairing for a while, so I've finally decided to take the plunge and start, especially as I'll have a bit of extra time over the next few weeks. It always takes me a while to get used to writing new characters, so I can't promise that everyone is completely in character. This will probably be a slow burner, but we'll get there. For anyone wondering, this was inspired by Angus and Julia Stone's song 'Devil's Tears'.

"He said "I am the devil, boy, come with me

And we'll make many storms"

He offered me the universe

But inside my heart there's a picture of a girl" - Angus and Julia Stone - "Devil's Tears"

Chapter 1 - Paris When It Rains

Andy had walked away from Miranda - abandoned her like some damsel on the steps of the Place de la Concorde.

Yet, she hadn't managed to run away.

She had gotten as far as the airport.

In fact, she hadn't even been able to get out of the car. The momentary adrenaline from abandoning Miranda, walking away from it all, had left as quickly as it. By the time the car pulled up to the entrance of the departures terminal, Andy was gripping the handle of the door for dear life.

What she had experienced wasn't the same as the last time she had almost walked away, when Miranda had sent her on the seemingly impossible task of finding the Harry Potter manuscript. It had been her hunger for a career, her refusal to throw away after all those months of being 'Miranda Girl', that had brought her back to Runway - and Miranda.

This time - it was something else.

Loyalty.

As Andy walked away from Miranda, she was confident that she was making the right decision. She got as far as the departures gate at Charles de Gaulle before she realised her mistake. Something pulled her back to Paris...and back to Miranda.

The walk from the hotel lobby to the Presidential Suite felt like an eternity. Miranda would skin her alive for this. Though Andy had no doubt that she could live, and gladly live, with having to listen to the sharp orders of "that's all" and being on the firing end of the dragon's fury.

If nothing else, Miranda would get her punishment on Andy for embarrassing her in front of the press.

Oh god, the press. They were going to have a field day with this.

She could practically see the headlines already - "Assistant walks out on Dragon Lady"

As the elevator arrived at the top floor, Andy adjusted the blazer she was wearing, burying her hands nervously in her pockets to stop herself from fidgeting. Miranda would no doubt lecture her on social appearances if she saw her assistant fidgeting.

Her Manolos came to a stop outside the double doors of the suite. Biting the inside of her lip, she contemplated whether she should knock the door or walk straight in with the key Miranda had provided her. Deciding on the former, Andrea raised her hand to lightly hit her knuckles against the mahogany wood. Several moments passed before a faint "Come in" sounded from the other side.

Pushing open the door, Andy cautiously stepped inside the suite, letting the door slowly swing shut behind her. She had effectively entered the dragon's lair. Stepping through the small entrance lobby, she placed her Longchamp tote down beside Miranda's trusty Lady Dior, continuing to wheel her suitcase behind her.

It was then that she came face to face with the woman herself.

Wrapped in a grey silk La Perla robe and sipping on a glass of gin and tonic, Miranda looked as though she didn't have a care in the world, but Andy knew better than that. Her hair no longer had the look of smooth, effortless grace, instead her reading glasses had been perched upon the crown of her head, and the longest strands of her fringe had been tucked behind her ear. They were the sort of things only someone very close to Miranda would notice; only something she would notice.

"Where have you been?" Miranda asked, her arms wrapped tightly around her waist as though she was attempting to hold herself together. It had taken all of Miranda's willpower to keep her voice level, to stop the corner of her lip from quivering. From showing how just relieved she was that Andrea was here, that she hadn't ran off, or worse, taken ill.

She refused to show Andrea how emotional she was.

No one had ever walked away from Miranda, ex-husbands excluded of course. No one had made her feel helpless before. When she had turned around, expecting to find Andrea walking behind her at a glacial pace, her heart had momentarily skipped a beat as she searched for the familiar hazel eyes amongst the sea of flashing lights. The younger woman's name had escaped her lips before she could stop it; her action not going unnoticed by the media around her.

Miranda had lost count after the twenty seventh phone call and tenth voice message.

"I'm sorry, Miranda...I just…" Andy paused, pressing her lips together as she breathed deeply. "I needed some air" She explained, after all, it was hardly a lie. Miranda's words of "everybody wants to be us" combined with her betrayal of Nigel, had set off a rage of anger in her. A fear of becoming trapped in a world that could lead her to becoming just like her mentor. "I see a lot of myself in you" Miranda had claimed, and in that moment, Andy's life had flashed before her eyes.

No, she wasn't like Miranda. She would never have stabbed Nigel in the back.

Yet, she had over-reacted, in the heat of the moment. Andy had tried to run away, but couldn't even do that. Miranda had some kind of a hold over her; one that not even Andy could understand.

Miranda had essentially stabbed Nigel in the back, and the anger that had filled her veins at such betrayal had quickly been replaced by fear and anxiety. Would Miranda someday sell her out for the sake of her career? Nigel had practically given up his personal life for the sake of his career - and Miranda - yet she still took away what should have rightfully been his, to save her own precious career. If that was what Miranda did to a 'friend', what would she do to someone who was nothing more than an assistant to her?

If Miranda had noticed her luggage, then she made no mention of it. Instead, the older woman had stood up from her seat, her shoulders clearly stiff as she looked from the carpet to the paintings on the wall - anywhere except for Andy's face.

"Right well, I have to ring the twins." Miranda revealed, her fingers curling around the phone that was clutched in her right hand. As casually as she could, she stole a glance at the time on her Cartier wristwatch; it would be almost nine o'clock in New York, and no doubt the girls would be waiting by the phone for her call. "That's all" She concluded, pursing her lips as she straightened her back. Turning on her heel, Miranda headed through the suite before she shut the door to the master bedroom behind her. As the handle clicked back into place, Andy allowed herself a moment to compose herself.

The faint smell of Jo Malone cologne hung in the room, having a strangely comforting sensation on Andy; it was familiar, calming and most of all - it reminded her of Miranda.

Her shoulders dropped as she leaned back on the chaise lounge that had been previously occupied by Miranda.

Opening the exterior pocket of her luggage, she retrieved the pieces of hotel stationery that she had lifted from the desk in her room during her failed attempt at running away. The entire journey to the airport was spent trying to write her resignation letter - yet she got no further than scribbling 'Miranda' on the top left of the page in her familiar cursive handwriting. Folding the parchment over, she dropped it down in the bin that sat between the chaise lounge and the nearby side table.

As Miranda shut the door of the master bedroom, she leaned against it as she allowed herself to let out a sigh of relief. A hundred different scenarios had went through her head. Had Andrea just walked away? Did she take ill suddenly? Had something happened at home that caused her to bolt off like that?

It was only the vibration of ringing of her phone in her hand that brought Miranda out of her train of thoughts. "Hello" She greeted, bringing her phone to her ear as she pushed herself off the door. "Ms. Priestly, we've finished checking the rest of the nearby hotels but we've had no luck…" The man revealed, his voice filled with hesitation as he prepared himself to be grilled over the phone by the authoritative women who had sent his team on a wild goose chase around the city.

"She's back. You can stop looking," Miranda cut the man off, as she allowed herself to finally relax "That's all." She concluded, ending the call as she sat herself down on the bed.

She would deal with Andrea in the morning; for now, she had to sleep. It was already after three in the morning and they were expected to be at the first show before half nine. Though somehow, she doubted that she would get much sleep.

Damn you, Andrea.

Andy's room was located across the suite from Miranda's. Irv had made a few chosen sharp remarks about Miranda's expenses before Paris, which had resulted in Andrea being placed in the smaller bedroom of the Presidential suite instead of paying the expense for another junior suite. Although the lounge, dining room and small kitchen separated the pair, Andrea still felt a little too close for comfort.

Hearing a rattling at the main door, Andy jumped to her feet, moving to unlock it before the noise would alert Miranda. "Where have you been?" Nigel exclaimed, keeping his voice low, shutting the door behind him. "You're bloody lucky Miranda didn't have half the police in Paris out looking for you". He insisted, already heading across the suite towards Andrea's room, waving her in before shutting the door behind them. Miranda had even enlisted him in the search for the second assistant, making him search every coffee shop and cafe around the hotel.

Andy resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Miranda didn't care; all she was worried about was explaining the scene that Andy had pulled by abandoning her in front of the press. "What are you playing at, Six?" He asked, his voice dropping to a whisper for fear of Miranda hearing him. It was a miracle that he had managed to slip into the room unnoticed.

"You could have left - had a life - but you came back" He exclaimed, his voice laced with a sense of astonishment as he eyed up the second assistant as though she was some spectre that might disappear at any moment.

No assistant had ever walked away from Miranda - let alone walk away then come back.

"Why did you come back?" Nigel asked, perplexed as he leaned against the wall nearest the windows which overlooked the busy metropolitan street below. It was one thing to walk away, it was another to come back.

"I honestly don't know" Andy confessed, shaking her head as she ran her fingertips through her curls, sitting herself down on the bed. Nigel pursed his lips, a habit he had picked up from Miranda, before shaking his head. "Get some sleep, Six. Who knows what tomorrow might bring" He advised, folding his arms as he headed towards the door of the bedroom, silently praying that Andrea wouldn't do anything else to upset Miranda.

Following Nigel out, she retrieved her luggage from the hallway, lugging it back into the bedroom with her. Glancing at the clock, she groaned at the time. There was no way she was going to be functioning properly in the morning - well, later in the morning. Changing out of her dress, Andy changed into her silk shorts and matching vest, moving under the covers as she placed her jewellery on the counter beside her.

She'd have to explain the disappearance of her phone to Miranda in the morning.

Why did she come back?

"The person whose calls you always take - that's the relationship you're in" Nate's words floated back into her thoughts as she pulled the covers up over her.

Damn you, Miranda.