Sehnsucht

Chapter Six

It had been a busy morning running errands for Serena. Her mind and her heart were both racing. Her decision deadline was quickly approaching and it made her more on edge. Emily tried to calm her best she could at home, but it was such a life changer either way. Her work was slightly suffering because of the deadline. She was far too distracted to make meaningful creations at Runway. Nigel cut her some slack, but even his patience was wearing thin. Looking up at the sparkling glass building, she took a breath in and out and walked through the rotating doors.

Of course, her day couldn't ever be normal. Not while working at the main headquarters of Runway anyway. Lo and behold, before her very eyes, was a ghost from eight years prior. A legend within the halls of this hallowed building. It made Serena's stomach roil from the memories of the Paris Fallout. Those months were hell and Runway still wasn't left untouched to this day. Andrea Sachs had graced the lobby with her presence today and she was oh so casually talking to the doorman. She could only linger in the back, hidden by the rush of businessmen and models heading out to lunch.

"So John, how is it? How are the wife and kids?" Andy inquired.

John had always been one of the nicest at Runway. The first to actually warmly greet her and accept her not just as a Clacker but as Andy. A doorman for Elias-Clarke, she would always greet him when she came in to work at Elias-Clarke. And when Andy was left waiting for The Book, they would have dinner together. Nate even once accused her of cheating on him with John, which was absolutely ludicrous because he was 47, married, and had three kids. It's been forever since she last saw him, but it was like no time passed at all.

"Oh, you know, Andy. Not much has changed, all pretty usual. The Family is doing great. Perla and the little monsters are all happy and healthy." He gave her a broad smile and light-hearted chuckle. It made Andy's own nerves calm down substantially.

"Actually, our youngest is in the fourth grade now. How crazy is that?"

"Riley, right? Wow… That's just crazy."

"Yeah, also I'm super impressed at how you remembered her name after all these years!"

"How could I forget? She was the cutest thing to ever grace these halls when Perla would bring her in."

"That's very sweet of you, Andy! I will let her know you said that about her. How are you doing? I heard you are a fashion queen yourself nowadays."

"I wouldn't exactly describe it that way, but I am a CEO of my own fashion company." Andy blushed at John's sincerity.

"Modest as always." He chuckled again, they shared another laugh.

Andy saw someone hanging out behind her and couldn't hide the grin. She was very sure that some clacker's would remember her, but Serena remembering her was sure to spread gossip. That reminder dimmed her grin a fraction because she needed Miranda and her lunch to stay quiet. Runway had a very active and bustling gossip mill and if any of this got back to Miranda she wouldn't see the True Fashion Queen for another eight years.

"I hate to cut this short, John, but I have someone I need to catch up with. I'll stay in touch!" She tried to hide her nerves with a smile.

John just shook his head, Andy was still too scared of the pencil stick girls.

"Serena. Hey." Andy ran her fingers through her hair when she approached the Amazonian woman.

"Andrea Sachs. Never would have thought I'd see you here again." Serena said much surprised, but also feigning indifference.

Andy groaned inwardly, this was going to be a grating conversation. She and Serena were never close. Serena was always Emily's friend, no shared commonalities between them. She was nice enough to Andy's face, but she knew the gossip Serena and Emily could spread when they wanted.

"So… How are you?"

"I'm quite well, thank you. I would have bet all my money that I would never see you walking in these Halls again after what happened in Paris."

"Yeah, well, here I am anyway." Andy looked down at her watch and the hour was drawing closer to when Miranda would be down to meet her for lunch. All tension that John had relieved was back ten-fold with Serena. She hadn't felt this out of place since beginning at Runway.

"Yes, here you are. It's been nice to see you, Andrea. I must get to more pressing matters." Serena snootily said.

"Of course, nice to see you again." Andy tried to end the conversation on a positive note but still felt belittled.

'Great, well whatever good mood I was in to see Miranda today has been killed. I swear if she hears of this from Serena I'll probably die.' Andy thought actively wanting to slink back to Ben and the SUV outside.

"W H A T?!" Emily screeched

"Calm down, Emily, before she overhears…" Serena winced at the volume of her girlfriend's voice.

"CALM DOWN? YOU WANT ME TO CALM DOWN? Oh my god, she's doomed us all again. I swear I should have never let her and that ugly sweater into this office. Holy Christ. No no no no no… She's going to get us all fired this time!"

"Darling please."

Serena reached out for Emily's hand. Emily's other hand was clutching her pearly white chest. Her breathing coming out ragged and fast. Having a minor panic attack over the Goody Two Shoes Andrea Sachs condemning them all to a hell beast again. Emily would bring Miranda Andrea's skin before she let that happen again. The aftermath of Paris was the absolute worst for the entirety of Runway. Even Emily would have rather been hit by a car again then deal with Miranda. She rained ice and anger over all of the employees. Just because the fat smart girl had the gall to leave Paris in the middle of fashion week. Hell would freeze over before Emily allowed that to happen a second time.

"For heaven's sake, I could hear Emily having a mental breakdown from all the way in the Closet. What's going on?" Nigel loved Emily, but she was dramatic even at her best. This was extreme even for Emily.

Serena was nervous to even repeat the news lest he copy her girlfriend's reaction and draw the attraction of the one person they didn't want knowing who was in Elias-Clarke today.

"Promise you'll be calm?" Serena said still eyeing her girlfriend and rubbing circles on Emily's back.

"I can't knowing whatever the news is, is why my assistant is catatonic right now." Nigel just looked on the scene still mystified.

"Okay, fine. I told her I saw Andrea Sachs in our lobby today." Serena paused, muscles tensing for his reaction. As much as neither Emily nor Nigel wanted to admit, they were similar in too many ways.

"What!" He grasped his chest in the same way Emily did.

"Please be quiet!" Serena looked beyond him to see the hallway still clear. Thankfully.

"Not only will Miranda fire half the staff when she hears this, but she will probably make fashionable rugs out of us three." Nigel pinched the bridge of his nose, finding the nearest stool before he collapsed.

"I know. I know." Serena squeezed her eyes shut.

"What would ever bring Andrea back?" Nigel cautiously asked.

"She craves death." Emily managed to say.

"That I agree upon, this is a dragon's lair after all. We need to make sure Miranda never hears about this." Nigel added, desperately needing a drink after this.

"If I hear of what, Nigel?" Miranda said, almost suddenly appearing behind the trio.

Emily covered her mouth to stop from shrieking. Serena looked quite like a deer in headlights. Nigel was considerably the calmest of them all. Moving from his stool he went to stand against the wall needing its support. The two women would never be able to keep the secret. Now that he was dragged in along with them he was the one forced to deal with Miranda now. They owed him endless drinks for a month for this.

Before he had a chance to speak, Emily opened her mouth to ramble, "Nothing! I mean it's nothing, we were just…"

"Emily, don't test my patience. Nigel?" Miranda completely ignored the two incompetent women in front of her for her trusted ally.

"What Emily failed to say," Nigel gave her a pointed glare, "was that the photographer lost his SD card and we are trying to desperately save the photo shoot."

It was the original reason he sought out Emily in the first place. This was in no way good news, but it was miles ahead of Andrea related news. He watched Miranda take a long breath in and a steady breath out. Everyone held their own in the room waiting for her reply.

"I have an important lunch meeting, take care of this." She said waving her hand in their general direction, disdain clear on her face.

They paused not saying a word.

"That's all." She finished feeling like she was practically dealing with children today.

"Yes, Miranda." They chorused, which made her newly formed headache throb.

With that, she left and they all released a breath they didn't know they were holding.

"We will never talk about Six inside these offices ever again. Deal?"

"Deal." Serena and Emily both agreed. A strange day far from being over for them all.

End Chapter Six