Andy was in today, taking a day just to work at home this morning, she was just recovering from a cold she'd had last week, her door was knocked on, she heard it grow louder and insistent, pulling off her earbuds.

"Just a sec." She called out to the door.

She wasn't expecting anyone this early on a Thursday morning.

Unlocking her door, opening it to not ever expecting in a million years, blue eyes, brightening and glad to see her.

Taking in, actually two pairs of blue eyes inherited in perfect semblance from Andy's last boss.

Both Cassidy and Caroline were in Spence school tops and velvet headbands and leggings, and adorable matching camel hair coats.

"Hi, Cassidy, Caroline?" Andy was startled at why Miranda's daughters were this far downtown, and at her door, knowing that none of their lessons were, in this neighborhood at eight in the morning.

Andy recalled most of them she'd once arranged, knowing they had ballet lessons which were on Mondays with a former lead ballerina from the NY Ballet Company, and piano with Mrs. Fischman on Park and Lex on Wednesdays, along with conversational Mandarin with Mr. Yu on 58th but that was on Fridays.

The twins also were taking Macroeconomics and Microeconomics with a former professor of the London School of Economics along with Art History with a curator from the Sotheby's and the de Young.

Here Andy only once had Girl Scouts and soccer at their age to enjoy and experience.

These pair of brilliant Mini Miranda's were both very gifted in their cultured erudite pursuits.

"Your Mom's Andrea aren't you?"

Andy nodded, standing in her doorway. "Yeah?" Andy supposed in a way she was her Andrea. Like it or not she always would be, Miranda's.

"You have kind eyes." Cassidy whispered out.

Andy stared at both girls.

"You do." Cassidy proclaimed seriously. "Mom told us."

Miranda thought of her eyes?

Andy defined brows knotted at this, Miranda Priestly didn't even say her name until she earned it, but she thought her eyes were kind and told her daughters so, made Andy very confused by this.

"Where's your Mom, girls?" Andy glanced, half hoping and half dreading the white haired Editor to appear at her door.

"Not here." Caroline shrugged, giving Andy a full Priestly stare of did you really graduate college.

"She's not with us, Mom's at home." Cassidy gave a long look to her sis, "She's off today."

Andy's was relieved but her brows rose up, Miranda taking a day off from Runway that was a first.

"We came to see you."

Shaking her head, willing herself to wake up from this weird ass dream of Miranda's precious Bobbseys here to see her this morning. Since, she couldn't seem to do that, Andy just went with it.

"How did you both get here?"

"We hailed a cab." Caroline explained. Ducking under Andy's arm, stepping inside curiously. Into Andy's place.

Andy gave them a funny look. Miranda never let her daughters on or in public transport.

Ever.

Getting a hint that something was up.

Miranda's once exact words to her first husband that Andy couldn't avoid overhearing one time in her first week, at her desk, when Gregory, the twins' father tried to suggest during a upcoming weekend to have Cara just pop them in a cab to his office.

Recalling word for word, in a that silky 'take no prisoners alive' Mirandize vituperate waspish way, now looping in Andy's head, how the twins must always be transported by limo only, that Caroline Kennedy was chauffeured in a limo and nothing bad ever happened to her, she practically grew up in one.

Andy recalled that and Greg informing Miranda what one of the twin's wanted most for her birthday, an assistant to torture like Mom does.

Miranda emphatically denied it to Greg on the line.

That she did not torture her assistants. Hanging up and telling Andy to go find that article on a War World II Parisian Couture Houses that she'd featured, ten years ago filed in the archives.

Andy had knelt, with ugly skirt bottom in the air, searching for it, all through her lunch break.

Thoughts of strangling the lady devil in Louboutins, no asphyxiation or maiming her, followed by a grin of thinking of spitting in Miranda's coffee had cheered her up and spurred her on with stomach growling searching for one issue in hundreds.

Many early days at Runway, Andy daydreamed of sprinkling arsenic over Miranda's eggs instead of chives.

"Do you have a job?"

Andy shook her head. "Yes. I'm working from home today. I work at The Mirror."

Caroline gave a skeptical look at Andy's place of employment.

"Mom's Runway is better." Saying this defiantly.

"How do you both even know where I live?" Andy demanded out. She'd only spoken to Cassidy and Caroline once every now and then on evenings delivering The Book for the few months she'd worked for Miranda.

It was only little things, both of Miranda's kids first only saw her as just the help.

She once complimented on liking their matching 'Pencil Me In' Wild at Heart Foundation sweatshirts and they looked at her like she had sprouted two heads and was a colossal extraterrestrial.

Andy was asked once, by one of them, she thought it might be Cassidy who had more freckles, had she ever read Little Women and Anne of Green Gables.

Andy had and she loved both, each were on her list of top favorite books when she was their age, this became a nightly ritual of theirs, just a few words to Andy nightly, both were as taciturn as there Mother was always to Andy.

Knowing that she definitely never told them where she lived.

Cassidy showed it, holding out Andy's HR file from her backpack. "We're doing a paper on the poor and impecuniousness of the city."

Andy let Cassidy follow Caroline inside, trying to not be too insulted for their reason in visiting her, they were doing a paper on the poor, so they immediately thought of and chose her.

Her minimum salary which was in her file must seem so destitute and right on the poverty line to these two small heiresses.

"Welcome to my life of penury and privation." Glancing around her home, in the usual rented shade of depressing.

Caroline was perusing Andy's shelves of books and her things, reading the many titles and picking up her things on the shelf, like the graduation gift Andy got from her sister Jill, setting it down, then holding up a small teddy bear with a Northwestern hoodie on with judgey blue eyes just like hers on it then flickering back to hers, Caroline informed. "Mom talks about you."

Her bear was one of a few supportive stuffed animals she had accumulated, Andy froze. "She does?"

"Loads."

This Thursday morning was really weird now, first to be told by a mini Priestly, that her eyes were kind and she talks about her. Wondering, what about her exactly does Miranda talk about?

Was it that Andy was a big disappointment to her?

"You have a tattoo." Cassidy exclaimed out. Probably scandalized at her being inked, just staring bulge eyed at Andy's arm displayed with it, scrawled in her handwriting on her inner arm.

Tilting her vivid red head to the side and trying to read out the name on Andy's skin, her little pink mouth pursing so like Miranda's up to Andy.

"Do you smoke weed?"

"No." Andy sputtered. Lying quickly. "I've never done drugs in my life."

"You have a tattoo though." Cassidy pointed this out as if Miranda probably warned her little girls that people with tattoos smoked weed all day.

Miranda would just love her piercing location.

Rubbing it, the name on her arm, self-consciously at the smaller Priestly's haughty look. "I got this for someone I love."

"Who?"

Cassidy read out her name to herself, scrunching her cute nose at it.

"So you like girls?" Caroline asked this with a shrewd look on her face that was so much like Miranda's, except it was creepy on one so adorable. And who possessed freckles.

"Yeah. Not all girls." Andy had just come out. Stammering because Miranda's eyes on these two scary progeny of hers made her nervous.

"There's one girl, I really like, although she's not a girl. She's a lady, a little older, who I don't ever stand a chance with. We've never even played smile tennis."

Smile tennis, Andy was something she was rubbish at, she did it at a bar once, asked if she had trouble with her contacts by the bartender and also attempted smile tennis at check out to an attractive lady who dressed like Miranda in the grocery store who must have thought she was baked, she just kept grinning and didn't say a word just smiling at her and holding three kiwis and a box of Cheerios, snapping out of it with a question of cash or card.

Andy also tried it out on when she was handed her wrapped warm onion bagel so attentively by one pretty possibility at the bakery she frequented almost every morning.

She was yelled at for holding up the line.

Andy inevitably knew that no amount of her great smile was ever going to WD40 Miranda's flirt valve to loosen up and notice her.

Nope no canoodling over crudités and Sauvougonie for her with Miranda.

Here she was stammering on to them about their Mom, which they weren't ever discovering, how Andy felt about Miranda was private and hers.

Hers to wallow in unrequitedly.

"Girls, why are you here?"

"Tell her, Cassi." Caroline urged. "Andrea, you always helping Mom right, you liked doing that for her, well she really needs you now."

Andy's brows came together at this news. Miranda needs her. For what?

"O-Okay. Sure, I worked for your Mom, and I always helped her with stuff." Andy wouldn't exactly say she liked doing everything for Miranda most days at Runway. She was paid to do them.

Yup, paid a minimum wage to fetch 25 different bags from Hermes, find a python for a shoot, carry six boxes of Xerox paper to the Ricoh copier, along with getting coffee on the hour, answering every single call that occurred, and filing ten years' worth of back issues in Miranda's private file room.

Caroline scrunched her face up at the word, stuff.

Amazed at the trait, like mother like daughter.

"Hey, shouldn't you both be in school?" Glancing at her watch.

Not missing a very guilty look forming on both of their faces.

"I'm calling your Mom."

Andy glanced down at her phone, halfway through seven numbers, she knew shouldn't call. Stopping herself, Miranda would probably accuse her of kidnapping her kids.

"Don't, Andrea. Mom doesn't know we're here. She needs you. You have to come home with us. Now." Caroline ordered bossily.

Andy could see, that this little Priestly got her mother eyes along with her temper.

This mini Miranda was a little firecracker and had also eerily inherited Miranda's lip pursed, using it on Andy fully.

"She really needs you." Caroline shared, meeting Andy's eyes sincerely.

Andy swallowed at that, Miranda needs her.

Now?

What could Miranda Priestly possibly need from Andy at eight in the morning?

No. No. Not tears from her eyes.

Tears were falling, bending down to her level. Andy could see Caroline or was it Cassidy here in front of her was getting very upset, she flung herself into her arms, Andy held her, lifting her up.

"Mom's not okay."

Stroking her flaming hair, as she hiccupped, Andy soothed, holding her, making shushing noises as she rubbed Cassidy's back.

"Has something happened to your Mom?"

"Yes." Her voice catching from sobbing.

Andy's face fell.

"Did Stephen do something to her?"

Willing, he better not have touched Miranda. Stilling at that possessive feeling coursing in her, Miranda wasn't even hers to think like that about.

If Stephen hurt her in anyway, Chinese castration was something that should be brought back for wank puffins like him.

"No." Wiping at her own bright eyes of blue. Hugging Andy tight. "Mom's had the flu."

"Okay. Your Mom needs me. She's got the flu." Andy rubbed her back more and processed this. Deciding fine, she'll go and buy out Duane Reade or CVS of Strepsils, Vicks and Kleenex for Miranda.

And get a tub of chicken noodle soup.

Then they were even for Paris.

Maybe seeing Miranda again would figuratively fuck her back to life. She'd been undone without her, all Andy did was get up, go to work and commute home, with Miranda on her mind most days.

"I'll help her, if I can." Wiping at Cassidy's eye lids with her long fingers. "I promise. Let me get my coat and keys."

"So you're coming with us?" Caroline asked, her blue eyes bulging with true surprise at her words.

"She's been so sad without you. Andréa. She liked you." Cassidy still in her arms shared with her.

Saying her name in that a special Priestly way, Andy didn't quite shake off. Right, sure, Miranda was just distraught and devastated without her around.

"Cassidy or are you Caroline? Andy questioned the redhead in her arms, which made her stop crying, through stopped tears. "I'm Cassidy."

"Why don't the both of you, just call me Andy."

Cassidy in her arms, grinned as she said it with a scrunch of her nose. "That's a boy's name."

"Yeah. You know what your Mom refuses to call me, Andy also." Andy informed.

"She does?" Cassidy voiced incredulity.

"I'll call you, Andy." Cassidy promised this to her solemnly, still held by Andy along with Caroline agreeing too.

Andy grinned. "Good, do that, let me get my coat. Okay?"

Andy knew one thing was true, in how Miranda felt about her, that she was her biggest disappointment.

Why was she doing this again, rushing back into Miranda's life?

Knowing why, Andy sighed, because she cared about the icy white haired Editor and what happened to her and meeting both girl's expectant blue eyes on her. Relying on her to help their Mom.

Miranda wasn't even in the room and she bent her heart back to her.

With that thought, Andy grabbed her coat, pulling it on and took a cab with Cassidy and Caroline uptown, shoving a few crumpled up green bills to the driver through the glass partition.

Caroline got out her key and gave it to Andy, which she took and used.

Patricia greeted them with licks like they'd been gone for a week.

"This way."

Andy had never been upstairs to the third floor ever, it was beautifully decorated like belonging in one of those glossy interior magazine's that Andy browsed through at the dentist or once skimmed through at Doug's work, but it was actually lived in with a few things left out by the twins like socks, along with backpacks even a few of Miranda's things like Wolford pantyhose were scattered on a upholstered bench as she was led by the twins down the hall to their Mom's bedroom.

Entering Miranda's personal space of where she slept wasn't what Andy expected.

It was more normal and warmer than Andy ever imagined it to be.

Not that she went around imagining Miranda's bedroom but Andy always envisioned cold and sleek and a row of skulls of hemsbachs hanging.

It was also larger than her whole apartment. Andy now knew her place was like a KFC bucket in size.

Andy noticed how beautiful Miranda was, her snowy hair out on the pillows, her face was half pressed to a pillow, seeing she'd pushed the covers off, and was hugged in a cotton nightgown.

Stephen, her ex, soon-to-be-ex-husband, was a complete idiot. How could he have carelessly given up on waking up to this?

"Miranda." Cautious at saying her name to rouse her. Andy swallowed, she would sooner waken the Medusa.

Not stirring as Andy tried again, with a louder. "Miranda?"

Expecting Miranda to turn and icily demand what in hell was she doing here.

To tell her outraged to leave. Threaten her with how she'd be working as a bathroom attendant for the NY Subway till she was fifty for being here in her bedroom.

Nothing. Seeing, she didn't move at being called by her. Andy hid her worry in front of both girls.

Cassidy came over and touched her foot. "Mom?" No response from her made her plead. "Andy, help her."

In two quick steps, Andy was over to Miranda in bed.

Up closer, she could see it, the sweat on porcelain skin, her dry lips, the shivers happening, timidly Andy's fingers connected to Miranda's skin.

She never touched Miranda's face before except for now, feeling her forehead under her palm, hot under her touch.

Miranda was burning hot.

She slid her arms under Miranda's back and her knees, pulling her up to her.

"Cassi get me a facecloth, make it really cold." Cassidy ran into her Mom's bathroom.

"Should we call Lace, Andy?" Caroline asked in a small voice.

Andy still held Miranda up who was hot and limp in her arms with her lips slack.

Miranda's eyes fluttered open a little, Andy looked into them, the blue-gray evidence of fatigue made Andy smooth back her white hair through her fingers.

Saying it softly with a surprised lilt. "Andy!"

Andy's lower lip trembled with delight at that uttered from her lips.

"You came back."

Andy's fingers laid briefly against her burning skin. "Yeah?"

"Good." Her aquiline nose only inches from hers.

Cassidy jogged back and shoved the washcloth to Andy, beginning to press it to Miranda's face, smoothing it along Miranda's searing skin.

"Who's Lace?"

"She's our godmother. She delivered us."

Lace was Dr. Lacey Sullivan Powers of Upper East 65th.

Lace came in ten minutes. All she said in greeting to meeting Andy, "So you're her Andréa."

She'd been Miranda's maid of honor at both her weddings, still called it a prehistoric ritual with the impossible promise of male fidelity forever.

Both Lace and Miranda were once roommates in college ages ago, sharing every mundane detail of their lives on the phone twice a week, she was there for Miranda's emergency C-section, delivering her two favorite redheads in the world, when Gregory had been delayed on a business trip in Houston.

Lace just stared at her again, turning back in examining Miranda, she could honestly see why Miranda had talked constantly about her for months once, at first it was almost funny to Lace, how this Andrea person really really bothered Miranda immensely, no bothered wasn't the right word to describe it, riled her, shook her world up, it was little things complained about, like her new assistant smiled way too much, she was only 22, she was ignorant of anything in fashion.

She dressed abhorrently.

Andrea standing here, had often really irritated her best friend more than Stephen drinking late at Neary's.

Later Lace noticed that Andrea was talked about less when she got back from Paris, it was now mainly conversations about that huge asshole of a spouse called Stephen and what he did to her, couriering divorce papers during Miranda busiest time at fashion week, Lace was there for her best friend, happy to listen, and to insult him freely.

Miranda did agree with Lace, that he wasn't in anyway a knight in shining armor, just a prick in tinfoil.

Trying not to glance again at this twenty something year old with big brown eyes completely enrapt on her best friend, who was prone here in bed.

"Miranda will need this, every four hours. You are staying with her, right?"

Andy nodded her reply of yes she was staying.

This time she was. Andy was resolute, she wasn't walking away. Not now. She couldn't leave Miranda struck down, sick like this.

Lace could see she was so worried, she'd countlessly assured Miranda's Andrea, that all Miranda needed most was to rest, with working long hours at Runway and with Stephen dragging out the divorce, just to be the tantrum throwing man child toddler he was.

"I promise you, she'll be fine. Let's let her sleep. Do you like coffee or tea?"

Lace didn't mean for Andy to make it, for her.

Noticing Caroline the shyer of the two, pointed out where things were helpfully.

Locating the sugar and teabags and coffee, Andy found the mugs with Car's instructions.

Lacey sipped her tea, the corners of her mouth twitching at how good Andrea was with them.

If only Miranda was witnessing this, Andrea Sachs definitely did not hate her or her children. No, not at all.

She was amazing with them.

Biting her lip at how Cassidy was interacting very much like Miranda with Andy.

She was making hot chocolates for both girls, Andy had set out two mugs that reflected each of the twin's personalities, Cassidy's mug was prettier with butterflies and Caroline's had horses on hers.

"Andy," Cassidy called her. "Andy. Marshmallows." Indicating her mug. Lace almost snorted at her tone, a mini replica of her Mom.

Andy opened a cabinet, she was pointed to, to fetch her the bag of mini marshmallows.

Andy bowed at the waist to her. "You're always forever fetcher. Miss Priestly."

Cassidy just giggled at that.

Lace pressed her lips to the rim of her mug, looking over at Andrea drying dishes that were left in the sink, which Miranda would have been so embarrassed about if she was out of her flu-coma, concluding that this, Andrea of hers, her ex,-ex assistant was really quite lovely.

Why on earth did she walk away in Paris?

Fled Paris, was Miranda's exact words.

Why was she even here for Miranda now? Lacey mulled this over in head, sipping her orange pekoe.

Lacey knew how Miranda thought that her last assistant hated her.

That really bothered Miranda, a lot, Lacey could tell that it did, once asking her if she thought she was horrible to work for.

Lacey only reply, "I've lived with you Miranda. I think you're a difficult and at times often impossible but you're a fair boss."

This Andrea drying a plate was different from all the rest. Not like any of the others before her.

When Lacey got a late night call, woken up by the difference in time zones, Miranda was upset, it was a mad teary rant about Andrea just left, just like that.

Lacey pointed out groggily into the receiver on New York time, why was she talking about her ex-assistant leaving her and not about him.

Miranda had gone very quiet on her end. Finally said so softly, Lacey thought she misheard it. "I don't know why, Lace."

Andrea being here now for Miranda, was interesting and truly unexpected. She seemed like a nice person to Lacey's observant eyes.

Genuine. Miranda's last assistant wasn't at all what she expected. Nothing at all like Emily.

Also having a gorgeous smile and being really good at washing up helped, that and she looked pretty, smelled nice and did in all likelihood not fart in bed, like Stephen did.

Her beeper went off.

"I'll be off, Andrea where do you live?" Lace enquired this. Betting that the brunette resided with roommates in the West or East Village.

"On Broome. Dr. Powers, I'd love if you just call me, Andy."

Lacey nodded. "Very well. You'll now have to call me, Lace then. Andy."

Lacey smirked, Miranda must've just loved being told to call her by a guy's moniker.

Lacey had a hunch it would never ensue out from Miranda's Chanel glossed lips ever.

"So, how did you know Miranda was sick?"

Andy explained, as both girls blew on their hot chocolates sitting at the kitchen bench, looking guilty in mid gulps with frothy s'mores faces knowing from Lacey they'd get a big talk about how anything could've happened to them.

But it didn't they were with Andy now.

Andy explained how her morning in was interrupted by this pair of cocoa drinkers pounding on her apartment door.

Lacey digested this. Miranda would have a complete fit no early heart attack that her precious girls went downtown on their own to find Andy for her.

It was good thing she was asleep.

"Andy. Give me your keys and address and I'll pick up some of your things for you, since you're staying the weekend here. Right?"

Andy would have to call and lie to her boss, she could take a few vacation or sick days.

"I guess I will be."

Lacey's look given challenged Andy, it conveyed was she going to stay or run away again. "Or do I have to call Emily instead?"

Andy was definitely staying here at the townhouse with the twins until Miranda was okay again.

"No. I'm staying here Lace, I want to be here for Miranda."

Lace measured Andy's words with warmth, seeing that she did mean them. "Good."

Andy gave Lace, her keys and typed into her held out IPhone, her address. Lace told her she was on call always for any emergencies, giving Andy her number and she would come back late tonight with her bag.

Andy asked if she'd grab her laptop too.

Lacey walked to the door, pulling on her vintage Geoffrey Beene camel hair coat, turning back to Andy.

"Take care of our Miranda, Andy. She deserves it."

Silently agreeing with Lace. Yes, she did deserve to be taken care of. Really hoping Miranda didn't channel her usual subzero bitch when she learned who would be doing just that for her.

Walking Lace out, closing it, right, Andy was now staying at Miranda's indefinitely.

Now, she had to call her new boss and lie about a family emergency.

Lacey being one of their emergency contacts and Greg being away in LA on business, called the twin's school to tell them Cassidy and Caroline were taking this Friday and next week off.

Emily had been called by Lacey to explain that Miranda was sick and in her medical opinion, was off till next week and that someone not from a nanny agency was looking after the twins.

Cassidy and Caroline learned three things about Mom's Andy.

She couldn't cook.

She lost at board games too easily to them.

She wore very little in the morning, just skimpy panties with a grey faded holey, cut off t-shirt that advertised Northwestern and exposed most of her toned abdomen getting them cereal and juice.

Mom would have fainted, she wore a toboggan walking Patricia.

And even greeted the neighbors.

Miranda's eyelids felt like they'd been pulled shut and superglued, plus a hedgehog or a porcupine must have climbed into her throat and died in it or taken up residency, it was so sore, with effort, she managed to somehow open her eyes, scrubbing at her eyes and that's when things started to become weird.

Seeing a sweatshirt that was faded gray strewn on her chair she'd bought antique shopping in the Berkshires, Massachusetts. She hardly wore it.

Refocusing her vision, she saw she was at home in her large bed.

"Bobbseys," Miranda croaked –raspy, her throat was so dry like she swallowed sand in handfuls, she shifted in her bed, aching everywhere, as she wore nothing except a slightly damp, clinging nightgown, feeling yucky, she pulled the comforter around herself as her bedroom door opened.

Andrea just stood in her bedroom.

"Miranda!" Greeting her warmly.

Miranda groaned, and rolled back into bed. She was obviously dreaming this.

With her last assistant here. Andrea being her usual perky caring self.

The strange dream didn't stop, Miranda's muggy flu filled brain came up with the most extraordinary of things to imagine Andrea who hated her, doing.

Dream imagine Andrea spoke softly to her, reassuring her that everything would be fine, that Cassidy and Caroline were good and with her and that she was taking them to ballet classes.

Which made no sense to her, because her Bobbseys had ballet on Monday's, and this was Thursday.

Dream Andrea was not very good at following calendars.

Patricia growled when dream Andy got closer to Miranda lying back in bed.

"Patti, knock it off. I'm helping her. Not hurting her, girl." The Saint Bernard stopped growling, sniffing at Andy, and settling back near her owner, placing her big head on Miranda's feet.

Andrea being Andrea forced her to sit up –even in her dreams, Andrea annoyed her. Miranda wrinkled her mouth and said this seriously and viciously to her, and if she really wanted to make her incandescent with happiness she should offer her, chocolate on tap and a massage, Andrea just started to stroke her white waves with her fingers, which felt so nice, then gave her something to drink that tasted amazing.

It was not chocolate on tap though.

Soothing her throat immediately, she moaned out which made dream Andrea blush.

"How are you feeling?" Dream Andrea was the same, always asking her questions.

"Oh, terrific. I can't breathe and I feel disgusting Andrea. You? Just stop talking." Miranda snapped out.

Shaking her head, a sick Miranda was ten times worse than healthy Miranda.

"Can I do anything for you?"

"Yes. You can. Get into bed with me, Andrea."

Andy froze at what Miranda said.

Dream Andrea was so cute blushing at her.

As this was only just a dream, Miranda wasn't ashamed to nuzzle and press a small kiss to Andy's cheek but missing it, Miranda smiled and leant herself more into the rigid frame that was perched half in her bed by one knee on the mattress, at first this imagined Andrea stiffened in holding her to her and then began to relax in just holding her close to her, embracing her until Miranda's vision blacked out.

Miranda had given her a beautiful smile. Wow, her whole face changed when she wasn't being herself, and Andy felt her stomach flip a little.

It was not caffeine on an empty stomach, she rationalized as she stood at Miranda's door, just watching her bundled under covers, star-fishing the bed.

Months ago, she wouldn't have been sure, where it came from, this urge, she couldn't quite decide what she felt about this, but it was strong. Potent. Fuck, Nate was right.

Miranda under the influence of cough medicine had kissed her cheek, actually it was more the curve of her ear.

Touching it with her hand, trying to keep that feeling of Miranda's lips on her. Just longer.

Pondering this, brown eyes were truly shocked she even let her hold her.

Her?

Andy liked, no she adored holding her.

She stepped downstairs and took two tutu wearing redheads to ballet and came back for two hours just to watch over Miranda and work on a few stories she really had to get to work on her laptop.

Glancing a few times up and over at Miranda sleeping soundly in between Sheex sheets like a hibernating bear –uh dragon in hebetude.

Spellchecking and sending her work on to The Mirror, taking a break, stretching her legs out, she'd already taken off her shoes, wiggling her socks, searching through Instagram for a little while and then checking her emails to find nothing was in need of her attention today. Andy shut down her laptop.

Looking around Miranda's bedroom, she shouldn't, she really shouldn't.

"No." She told herself out loud crossly.

Miranda was sleeping though, she'd never know that she even did this.

So yes, Andy began snooping in Miranda's room. It was wrong and crossing a line of trespassing but Patricia's bloodshot doggie eyes urged her to do it.

Her walk-in closet was just what Andy expected.

It was designer heaven, and really organized. No big surprise.

Jill, Andy sister wouldn't believe her how it was all arranged by color and outfit to heels, shelves of Manolos and Louboutins and Choo's.

About to lift open a box labelled 'insurance' but Patricia had got down and pushed her head into her knee to be patted.

She discovered Miranda had a ring and bracelet holders shaped like a swirly modern thingy from the MOMA, she read a lot and was almost as much a bookaholic as Andy was, not that Andy thought she was dumb being in fashion, Miranda's intelligence fascinated her and Andy thought it was another thing of so many that made Miranda sexy to her.

Sniffing her perfume bottle, spritzing some on her wrist.

Inhaling it.

Andy decided with her jaw dropping that Miranda spent way too much on hand and face moisturizing creams comparing it to her entire monthly grocery expenses on one jar that smelled nice though, rosy and placing it back down in the drawer, stopping on a photo album in her nightstand, she slid it open with her pointer finger, turning back to see Miranda snoring.

Not monstrous like Nate's, but adorable little snores elicited.

Patricia just watched her. Judgey canine eyes still on her.

Flipping through a few of her with her girls on vacation, Andy saw how Miranda even looked like she was having fun, stunned that Miranda could do that, and she actually smiled in most, a real smile, not the fake as fuck one Andy saw so often bestowed, crinkling her eyes on the usual holiday ones and stopping on one of her, holding one of her babies, breast feeding, Andy lowered her eyes respectfully, she was not ogling Miranda's breasts like that, they were off limits, scolding herself.

Andy did have boob boundaries, she drew a big bust- line in the sand, not to ever look lustily upon ones that were her relatives, like her cousin Brid's or Lily's, or any boobs that go way back to grade or high school and definitely college, none of her teachers, all NYPD or 911 EMT ones were off limits to enjoy, those were service boobs putting them on the line to protect and serve, and her neighbor Mrs. Isbeckis in 10A, and also Emily's were breasts not be ogled, although despite this staunch borderline boob charter, Miranda's pair were quite lovely to admire here and once daily in that low cut white blouse of hers at work.

Getting a grip, Andy exhaled out, flicking away to the next page over, she made a putrid face at one of Stephen with his arms around her, flipping the next page, she stopped suddenly on it, these images made her smile huge.

There it was printed proof, that Miranda wasn't incubated and hatched like a stylish snake she was believed to be, running her fingers over a few small photos of a younger Miranda had been once.

And now getting a chance to see her as a teenager. Her eyes peeled back to it, a thumb on a prom photo.

That was one hot perm. Andy snorted through her nose.

In the next pic, Miranda was wearing Donna Karan like a power suit with auburn hair swept back at Le Chic magazine.

Swallowing at her looking right at the camera with that stare.

Andy glimpsed another of her fiery locks lady smiling with the twins at some glitzy event, holding her hand and in another and she was certain in Miranda's wedding photo it was forced standing with her new husband with her in-laws.

Closing it and returning it to the nightstand. Looking at her watch, it was time to pick up Cassidy and Caroline.

Miranda dreamt weirdly again of Andrea, who went through her things, groggily aware of her using her perfume and perusing rudely through her photos, now squeezing her eyes tightly shut, why was she even dreaming of Andrea lately.

Vandalizing her photo album made no sense to her.

Andrea was gone, she'd left her and now she was off writing about piddly things like the Mayor's office taking selfies and social inequality as Patricia got up to her and became her doggie hot water bottle.

Pushing her face more into a pillow, she had to get Andrea off her mind and out of her dreams. Dream Andrea was not welcome in her rest.

Later waking up and not seeing her again, Miranda relaxed, good no more dream Andrea around anymore.

Miranda also kept strangely dreaming, like last night that Andy was brushing her teeth and talking about her absolute boring job to her and sleeping in her Provençal chair across from her bed.

She also wore such skimpy panties in Miranda's mind.

For some reason.

Bringing Cassi and Car back from ballet as they showed off what they'd learned, Lacey stopped by with a casserole.

Andy slipped off her own coat and hung it beside all of Miranda's designer coats as Caroline twirled en pointe.

She cricked her neck, yawning. Trying to sleep but sleeping wasn't to be hers last night with Miranda near.

"Andy just sleep in the guest room tonight, please." Knowing sleeping in a chair was not a great night's sleep for anybody, Lacey thought it was incredibly sweet but not necessary.

"Andy likes being in Mom's bed." Cassidy grinned at saying this.

Andy's fair complexion flushed sanguine. "Bed-bedroom, Cassi, I'm not in your Mom's bed…I'm in her chair, she's in a bed. Her bed. I'm just near her bed. To be there."

Feeling herself flushing at saying any of that.

Lacey had not, not noticed, where Andy was sleeping these last few nights, she tried again saying that Miranda allowed guests, even former employees like her, to stay in one of her guest rooms but Andy just refused.

"Andrea it's the flu, Miranda's not dying or anything, you don't have to be so …

Trailing off, her eyes blinked, Lacey got it. How could Miranda not see this? Andrea liked Miranda.

Andy turned and just took her coat for her and hung it up, she began sorting through Miranda's mail, stopping on one envelope, she held out a note from him.

It was folded, reading it with Lace.

Miranda I want to work on being more married again and more of a husband I should've been to you.

Just call me.

Stephen

Lace almost swore, but Andy caught her eyes with Cassi and Car right here. "Stephen's such a clot pole." She took Shakespeare once along with pre-med.

A clot pole, yup Andy attested that he was, wholly agreeing with Lacey, Andy's frown at reading Stephen wanting her back which morphed into a quick ready smile for the twins.

Walking into the kitchen as if she always lived here.

"She won't take him back, Andy." Lace shared. Still staring at Andy with a funny look.

Was there something on her face? Rubbing it, Lacey was acting weird. It was something between her teeth wasn't it?

She shouldn't have snuck a bite of the black pepper cheese doughnut she grabbed enroute to ballet classes.

Taking the crock pot, Andy set it down on the counter. It was a clear message to her, no pizza again.

"So, heat at 350 for how long, Lace?" It looked really good. Lacey just stared at her more intensely.

"Uh, Lace?" Andy tried.

"Are you in love with Miranda?"

Andy's face said it, despite shaking her head at Lacey, the twins had stopped spinning and heard what Lace asked.

"You love Mom?" Cassidy exclaimed out, her mouth hung open at this news.

Andy clutched the marble counter, ducking her head down. Was she that obvious? She must be with Nate once goading her about it.

Through her fingers over her lids. Letting it slip out of her mouth shyly. "Yes. I'm am in love with her. Just don't tell her, please?"

Caroline gave a grave look at Andy. "If you love Mom, why did you run away from her in Paris?" Folding her arms on her hips.

"I…I couldn't stay. Please Lacey. Just don't tell her okay. Ever."

Lacey's face scrunched with concern at Andy's plead of not telling her best friend how she felt about her.

"Please I don't want her to know, she'd be awful to me."

No she wouldn't, Lacey almost shared out. Seeing how she was barely easing Andy's fears. "I won't tell her. I promise Andy. Why did you leave her in Paris?"

Pushing her fingers through her dark hair, "Someone said taking her calls, was the only relationship I wanted to be in and it took me that night before I left her in Paris to realize that he was right."

"That I did want that relationship."

His words were like it hit right between her eyes. Andy had denied it as Nate packed after saying it to her.

Folding his chinos and insisting Andy wanted to fuck a miserable old bitch.

Andy threw a Converse at him for saying that as he left with words of he was sleeping over at Doug's tonight and leaving for Boston and to have a great flight with Miranda.

Or a fuck, as he hauled his duffle onto his shoulder and left her for good.

"And something else helped me later that night, see that I was completely irrevocably in love with my boss and I honestly don't know how or when it even happened except it did somehow, and I didn't know how I'd be able to just be only her assistant so I had leave her."

"What was the something else?" Lacey had to ask.

Andy's look on her face told her.

Quickly explaining out. "It didn't mean anything with him. I sort said her name during..." Rubbing the back of her neck self-consciously.

Wow.

Lacey recalled suddenly how Miranda was pretty out of sorts just two weeks after Paris when some golden haired narcissist in a scarf who belonged in a toothpaste ad or in GQ, at an event was bragging about having an amazing one night stand with one of her assistants.

Miranda heard him, her back stiffened and face pinched, and she demanded to know their name.

If it was Emily she was fired.

Perhaps Thompson had a thing for neurotic redheads in a leg cast from Roehampton? Blond sick sex pervert.

Christian just smirked at the Editor, and gave the name of which assistant he fornicated all night with, over a glass of Luxor champagne he held, studying Miranda with a perfect bleached smile.

Lacey beside her, heard Miranda call him a liar. Andrea the Andrea she knew wouldn't do something like that. Not with him.

Christian insisted it was true, as she strided away, he said smirking at her flouncing away in Manolos. "Jealous, Miranda?"

Miranda made one call as Lacey followed her leaving the event and heard Miranda simply have him removed and fired from the magazine he'd been bragging he was working for.

Lacey had never seen Miranda act like that, not ever over an assistant getting her rocks off with some blond Malibu Ken doll.

Even the time she caught Gregory cheating on her was different to this.

Lacey would never forget that birthday party for Gregory. That was the pure venomous Miranda she knew and adored.

She still cracked up about it.

Caroline knew something was being withheld from her and Cassi. She had inherited that trait from Mom. "What didn't mean anything Andy?" Caroline wanted to know. It was a tilt of her head like Miranda's.

"Christian. He sort of showed me how I felt about your Mom."

"Is he you're therapist, so, you don't end up floating in the Hudson with garbage?"" Caroline asked her.

"No."

The twins were not just turned eleven they were inside, thirty, and true neurotic New Yorkers.

Andy vowed she was blocking C-Span and making them eat whip cream out of a can and hoping they didn't have a broker yet.

"Christian's just a guy I spent one night with."

Caroline engaged a look with her sister. "Is Christian your boyfriend?"

"No. Nate was."

Two pairs of blue eyes and one mossy hazel held hers sternly.

"I'm not like that. Nate's not with me anymore. He's in Boston." Explaining herself to them.

"You are single now Andy?" Caroline demanded.

"Yes."

"Good. Mom doesn't like cheaters at all."

"Christian didn't mean a thing to me."

Sleeping with Christian had opened her eyes to who she wanted most. That night with him had been one stupid mistake.

Yes. It was simply throwing off clothes and fucking and yet also became her lesbian awakening.

"OK tiger,' Christian led the way back to his hotel

The room was standard hotel issue, but that didn't matter. Andy and Christian weren't interested in the interior surroundings or filling out the room service breakfast door card.

Christian was almost too perfect, in a creepy Billy Zane/Polo ad way but blonder and Andy thought his tan must come from a bottle, but it wasn't.

No tan lines were exposed as he peeled off his shirt without any help from Andy and stepped out of his slacks, sitting down on the double bed, clad only in boxers. Patting the bed with flirty eyes on her.

Andy undressed, teasing him as she unclasped her bra and stripped away her panties slowly down, watched by Christian's blue eyes admiring her long leanness.

Leaning over him, a little tipsy.

"So, Andy Sachs from Ohio are you a nice, Miranda girl."

Andy joined him on the bed. Why did have to say her name? "Who ever said I was a nice Miranda girl. Christian."

"Okay, not nice naughty Miranda girl. I think I need some being bad recompense for Harry Pott-" Christian was cut off as Andy initiated a hard kiss, taking her lips to his and grinding to him.

Pulling back from Andy. "Fuck, Miranda…"

He'd said her name with fuck, which made Andy go very still in bed as he smiled toothily and lingered inches from her lips and put his finger to his lips, then waved it from side to side cautioning her.

"Lie back and close your eyes. Imagine your most powerful desire, your most forbidden thought. Andy."

It was like Andy did ten shots tonight, hazy from alcohol but she'd only had really expensive red wine in Paris and only drank just two bottles of it.

Obediently she closed her eyes and lay back, heart pounding and Andy could smell his cologne mixing with the heavier sexual scent of his body. Caressing her all over, pressing his mouth to her skin.

This was nothing like being with Nate.

She gave in and let herself imagine his fingers become in her mind, tapered ivory fingers on her and then lips not shaped like Christian's loving her.

Not evoking Nate's kisses either as she moaned.

The wet of her pubis he stroked, ripping open a condom.

Andy's mouth parted, needing to feel Miranda inside of her, fill her forbidden completely, until the explosion of light and heat and the sensation of pumping was all that filled her ears, wanting to shout out in the midst of the climax, with the only word that came into Andy's head was 'Miranda'.

She awoke, to the wrong blue eyes, not sated but disgusted with herself. Andy knew leaving Christian in a rush, she never wanted to see him again.

Then she seen the cover mock up.

She was not his 'baby'.

She had to get out of this room and get back to Miranda, and protect her.

Knowing Miranda would be devastated if she was removed from Runway like this.

As she pulled on her heels and half-dressed getting in the elevator and sprinted out to save Miranda.

One night in Christian Thompson's bed made her know she was a dormant lesbian and that was the last penis she'd ever see, and it finally explained liking Indigo Girls in college and giving Jill back, Ball Gown Barbie one birthday and now Andy was no longer blind to being oh completely in love with her boss.

The doors opened to snooty couple getting on as Andy snorted at her next thought of Miranda.

Dear Miss Manners, Andy thought. During sex with a one night stand, I discovered I am in lust and maybe a little in love with my conceited impossible female boss.

What does etiquette dictate I do at this point? Signed, Hungover, half-dressed Andy in Parisian elevator with no panties on because I left them in Christian's room.

Now, I have to go save my object of lust's career with no panties on.

Dialing her phone number, trying Miranda's room, she was not picking up.

Cursing Miranda to herself, her white haired lady made her crazy.

Deciding against a voice mail, afraid she'd blurt out about how she was in love with her. That'd be weird with Miranda only being newly separated by hours.

Knowing she'd make an idiot out of herself if she left a message revealing her feelings?

And it was always there, right in front of Andy, when she looked at Stephen one night with Miranda, not able to stop herself from staring at them, feeling paralyzed, seeing him looking into her eyes wishing his hands were hers, on her.

It wasn't even sexual, he just placed his hand on the small of her back, guiding her into the car leaving a function with Andy standing on the curb.

Then Miranda being Miranda made her want to leave.

She had to leave the car and her job.

Miranda wasn't a nice person to fall for, doing that to Nigel with no visible remorse conveyed, was one reason among a million, like wearing chinchilla, not eager to further feed her monstrous ego – it's already morbidly obese with the whole inane no freesia in her vicinity ever wasn't someone she wanted to be saddled with.

"I just got her coffee, and ran errands. That's all she saw in me." Mumbling to herself. "Disposable."

Lacey got it. Andy was afraid of Miranda rejecting her.

"Miranda only knows me as the person who fetches."

Miranda wasn't like that. She'd be…Lacey knew Miranda would be kind about this. Her oldest friend would be careful with her last assistant's heart.

Brown eyes lifted to the three of them. "I should've stayed with her, but then I'd just be another Miranda girl. Nothing more. Another Emily to her. I know it's not ever going to be reciprocated. She doesn't even like me." Andy mused, looking morose.

"Tell her."

Lacey blinked over at Caroline's command. Andy shook her head at the little redhead.

"I can't just tell her how I feel about her." Andy could only imagine the reaction and response back.

"Why not?"

Andy sighed out, because you're a coward Andy, ostrich style with Miranda near. Always.

Caroline's mouth firmed stubbornly. "But you love Mom."

Lacey bent to her level. "Car, Andrea wants us not to tell your Mom, about her feelings, understood, she's trusting you to not say anything. Will you do that for her?"

Caroline looked back at Andy who was despondent. "Fine. I'm not saying a word. I won't. But Mom deserves to know, that's what I think."

Cassidy moved over to Andy to hug her waist warmly for all she was worth. Turning to her twin sternly. "Car its Andy's feelings, she wants you to not say anything. So don't. You promised sis."

"You're lips are sealed. Ok?"

Usually Caroline's lips remained sealed for exactly five minutes.

Cassidy's blue eyes willed her sister not to be a big mouth and blurt it out to Mom as soon as Mom was well. Knowing she would, in all probability, Car was the worst with secrets.

Like Mom with names and driving with maps to their cabin.

Car huffed. "Fine, I swear, Mom won't know Andy loves her." She'd never lied to Mom ever. This was a big one to keep.

"I think your being dumb Andy." Car shared.

Andy could deal with dumb not heart shredded.

Lacey gave Andy a hug. "Now I know why you stayed and slept on that chair every night." Rubbing her arms in comfort.

Wiping her lids, sheepishly, Andy smile was watery to Lacey who tried again to say something to assure her, that Miranda wouldn't hurt her, but Andy changed the subject and saw her out and came back to the twins.

It was too early for dinner, Andy offered instead. "Cassy, Car do you want some of these blue healthy snacks or rainbow seed crisps?"

Andy eyed it dubiously.

"Can we make cookies?" Andy looked one from one twin to the other, assaulted by those eyes. Powerfully used on her.

This was unfair. Completely unfair. Unwarranted in cuteness and shouldn't be set upon an unsuspecting woman like Andy here.

Pretty blue eyes they'd each stolen from their Mom stayed fixed on her. Hopeful. Expectant on her dark irises.

Andy's croaked a weak defeated. "Sure. We can make cookies." In Miranda's pristine kitchen that she'd probably never used a day in her life.

"We just need to go shopping for ingredients first." Andy suggested this.

"No we don't." Caroline shook her head and tugged at Andy's arm, showing her the full pantry off the kitchen.

It was like stepping into Dean and DeLuca minus Nate beside her.

Andy picked up a few choices of dark, milk or semi-sweet, Hershey's or Ghirardelli chocolate chips.

Both eager little Priestly demons still in tutus went to change for baking with Andy.

Andy took her phone out and called the only person who could help her. "Please send me a dummy's guide to making chocolate chip cookies. Fast."

On the other side of the line, Jill Sachs was silent for so long, she wondered if Jill had hung up. "Jill?"

"Who are you and what have you done to my little sister?" Jill sounded half serious with her southern drawl.

Andy leaned against the marble island, she was out of her depth here.

Knowing Jill she couldn't get away with not giving an explanation.

"It's for a sick friend's kids. I'm looking after them while she gets better." There. That was vague. Jill would never know it was anything to do with Miranda.

"Wait, two…two kids. No. No. No. Andy tell me you're not helping her?"

"Jill, I have to. Do you have Mom's recipe or not?" Jill didn't say anything, frustrating Andy.

"Just forget it, I'll just get one on Yummly."

"Andy, why are you doing this to yourself?" Jill huffed out like Andy helping Miranda was equivalent to King Sisyphus's boulder pushing punishment.

"She's married. She has a husband chained up somewhere, get him to help her."

"No Jill. She's not with him. Or his anymore. Miranda's almost divorced. She also needed me."

"Doesn't she pay somebody enough for that?"

"Jill." Andy warned.

"Andy you don't work for her anymore!"

"I know. Jill, her daughters came and got me. Miranda's been really sick."

"Good." Jill said delighted and bubbly. "The exorcism not go so well."

"Jill." Gritting her teeth at her big sister.

"I don't know how not to care about her." Andy's brows knotted, she was not up for Miranda being criticized by anybody even by Jill.

"Jill help me do this?"

"Fine. So, I guess you letting Miranda need you, has absolutely nothing to do with the fact that you can't say no to her, and mostly because you want to kiss her." Jill sang this out as Andy gritted her teeth.

Dammit. How did Jill do it?

She knew also.

First Nate knew. Now Jill did. So did Lace and the twins, why not take out ads out on top of the city's cabs or Times Square billboard.

Groaning out as Jill drawled on the line, an off key mushy love song in her ear.

Sobering as Andy reminded her about her prom crush, Mr. Weaver.

"Well, its past time I give you Mom's family recipe. I'll send it on to you in a sec. Dad's going to flip when he hears your back with her."

'Thanks. Jill. Don't tell Dad."

"I won't. I'm coming to see you in June."

After promising Jill, that she was not going to buzz her hair all off or fondle Japanese eggplant or root vegetables in Whole Foods or wear only Birkenstocks and bow ties, Andy hung up ready to make cookies.

Scanning the Sachs family recipe, Andy set about making the best cookies ever with both twins' help.

Was it hours – or days she'd last woken up, Lace's relieved face greeted her.

"Miranda. Welcome back. You look awake and so much better." Lace was always honest to her.

"Mom!" Cassidy greeted her happily.

Andy was out walking Patricia with Caroline around the block.

Miranda smiled at her best friend since first moving to New York, Lacey was here, grateful she was with the girls. Had she called her to come over, Miranda couldn't recall doing that. Handed a glass of water by Lacey, she took it.

"Thanks. Lace, I don't recall calling you to come over?" Miranda sipped primly.

"You didn't call me." Lacey's eyes held hers.

"Mom you were so sick. We went to get Andy for you."

Her brain still fuzzy at that, what did Cassi mean she went to get Andy? Andy who?

Miranda repeated the name out dulcetly. "Andy?" A pair of brown eyes flashed into her mind. There was only one Andy she knew of.

As in her Andrea?"

Andrea Sachs.

Realizing Cassidy said they went to get her. How? Andrea's work was at that paper for social injustice which was blocks away from here.

Cassidy's eyes told her everything, seeing how her Mom, had gone very still in bed, her brows raising into her hairline of her bedhead.

"Cassidy tell me you didn't, that you wouldn't."

"Uh…W-We got a cab and went to Andy's place. She's been here… at the house with us. We've been eating pizza because Andy can't cook and she doesn't have the authority over us to make me or Caroline eat vegetables but she did make us eat fruit after it."

"And yoghurt." With a smile.

Deciding it was best to say it in a rush for Mom to take in, it didn't sound quite as bad.

Miranda's mouth twitched up at her youngest daughter by 15 minutes to Caroline her oldest, looking in her worried blue eyes on hers.

"She also made with us these awesome cookies! She loses at all our board games badly but she's great at reading lines for the school play."

She was? Miranda took all of this in at once.

Andrea Sachs made cookies for her daughters and fed them pizza and played board games, the same Andrea who left her in Paris and didn't like working for her or being at Runway at all.

Or near her.

"Andrea's been here for almost a week. Miranda." Lace informed with a warm smile as she zipped her medical bag up.

A week!

Andrea Sachs had stayed here in her townhouse for a week, Miranda's heart was racing with that news.

None of it made any sense to her.

"Even slept in that chair every night across from you." Lacey gave Miranda a pointed look.

Processing this, but still really confused by it. "She did?" Miranda asked out.

"Yes. She did." Lacey confirmed. "She's been very worried about you. Miranda."

Worried about her. Why on earth would she be?

Andrea didn't even like her. Suddenly dawning on her, those weren't dreams, Andrea was here. In her bedroom.

Cassidy plucked at her Mom's arm, "Andy's got a tattoo!"

Miranda was listening to Cassidy jabber on. A tattoo? Where on Andrea? Of course Andrea Sachs would have a tattoo. Probably of some indie band.

Why would Andrea Sachs who ran out on her and her job with her do anything like this for her?

Go with her Bobbseys despite their strained history together and decide to stay. She meant nothing to Andrea? She was just her horrible ex-boss.

Cassidy decided to text Car the news, she typed away, getting a bubble blinking minutes later, as she ran down to greet them happy that Mom was up. And alive.

Saying she felt awkward was like announcing she'd like to accidently discover Irv Ravitz's dirty fantasy, that he wants her to pour honey all over him and spank him with folders of Runway's budgets, of all the people to take care of her – fine it was limited to Lace only – why did it have be Andrea Sachs?

Hearing footsteps approaching at very high speed, the girls were running, she always said do not run like a herd of buffalo stampeding, Miranda swallowed, her eyes wide on Andrea walking in behind both, just staring at her.

Andy inside scolded herself, she thought she would have become use to seeing her, after these few days, in and out of her bedroom, but Miranda hadn't been aware, or fully awake and her staring at her, just knocked the air out of her lungs, thrilled there was now a bit of color to her pale cheekbones and her nose, and she was just plain gorgeous to Andy, despite her state.

"Hello again. Miranda."

Blue eyes finally met hers full on, greeted with a soft. "Andrea?"

"Mommy!" Caroline jumped on the bed to her, giving her a clingy hug.

Sniffing her. "You smell," Car informed primly and perturbed. "Have a shower Mom."

Miranda face suffused pink, she felt like week – old cereal, mushy, soggy and quite disgusting.

Pulling her covers more around herself with Andrea near.

"You're all sticky yucky and your hair is so bad." Glimpsing past Car's shoulder at her reflection. It was bedhead horrific. Miranda winced at her own reflection.

Oh god, Andrea had seen her like this, and was seeing her like this?

Given just a warm bright Andrea from Ohio smile at her which made Miranda cut her eyes to slits at Andrea who was probably finding this so amusing.

Witnessing Miranda Priestly as a complete mess.

Placing the glass of water down on the nightstand next to her, meeting Andy's eyes silently.

"So, my daughters brought you here and you found me and how sick and out of it I was, and you ended up staying and taking care of me -us?"

Miranda's face showed her disbelief and Andy swallowed at seeing how Miranda's piercing eyes were full of this new and softening wonder on hers.

Andy could only nod at this.

"I truly hope Cassidy and Caroline and I …" Miranda seemed to search her words, "weren't too much of inconvenience for you."

Andy's brows furrowed deeply at Miranda's waspish civil coldish tone.

Not once did she meet Andy's eyes now. "No, you weren't. Well, now that you're better, I'll just grab my stuff."

"Stuff? Andrea." Miranda stated haughtily. Staring at the brunette.

Lacey blinked at her best friend's chilly indifferent tone to someone who stayed here for her, taking care of the twins like they were hers, and also being that she was in love with Miranda.

What was up with that attitude to Andy, was she always like that to her?

Lacey nudged Miranda as Andy gave a look to the girls and made to leave. "Bye, Cassi and Car. Lace. So, I'm off. Goodbye Miranda."

"What are you doing, Andrea?"

"Leaving." Staring at her bemused.

"You'll do no such thing."

Andy stopped moving away now, Miranda command froze her steps.

"Please don't go yet, just stay. I'd like to talk to you, Andrea."

Talk to her? Andy's heart beat fast as she prepared herself for Miranda conversing with her.

They'd never had a conversation before that wasn't pivoting around picking up showroom samples, diary changes or fetching coffees for her.

Lace took Cassidy and Caroline with her. "Come on, kiddos, let's go get your Mom some soup to eat." Lacey gave a small tight smile at Miranda, giving her 30 seconds of eyebrow acrobatics to be nice to Andy.

"And some of Andy's cookies." Cassidy reminded.

Leaving Andy and Miranda alone to just talk.

Just staring at her, Miranda extended her hand out to her, Andy didn't know if she should take it. "Andrea bring me, my purse please."

Andy looked around the room and found it for her. Handing with an outstretched hand to Miranda her vintage Hermes.

Riffling in it, Miranda took out her cheque book and Cartier writing pen.

"Miranda I don't want your money. I didn't do this for you for money." Andy watched her almost fill in one cheque with an amount with a lot of zeros.

Miranda snapped her J.P Morgan cheque book shut, sapphire coldly glinting on her brown insipid irises, her lips thinned dangerously. Why was it that Andrea was always so difficult to her about everything?

"What do you want then, Andrea from me? I can arrange for you to write for The New Yorker or do you want to write a few features in Vanity Fair, I will call Graydon tomorrow myself for you."

"No. I don't want it. Miranda. Not from you." Andy meant it.

What the hell did that mean? Not from her. Miranda only knew everybody in publishing, she was only the head of Runway, a global brand, head of a multibillion industry and she was respected and yet not by Andrea.

Not ever.

For a moment, Miranda didn't speak. She felt her habitual flashing anger; it colored her face and twisted the edges of her mouth forming a thin line. Dangerously resembling her expression over the year it was grunge in fashion.

"Andrea." Miranda coldly enunciated.

It was a nice no beautiful mouth when it was shut. Strands of blue threading icily in her eyes, Andy sighed.

"Miranda you don't have to do anything back. Okay? This isn't reciprocal."

She did so have to do something back and reciprocate. It was called being well mannered.

This impossible brunette so reminded her of those tinfoil popcorn things she used to pop on movie nights when she was living with Lacey.

The ones that always evidently burned her fingers when she tried to be slow and open them so carefully.

That's what Andrea was like around each her.

A say anything off the top of her head, rude, not even an adult yet, impossible to navigate Andrea's mountain of attitude to her always.

Lacey had just given her a look to be nice. That was easier said than done with Andrea near her.

"Miranda, I have a job." Andy said this firmly. "A job I actually like."

Miranda's mouth showed her true opinion of Andy's job with a lip curl. Choosing The Mirror over her really got under her skin. So much so.

Was Andrea saying without saying it that working once at Runway with her was something unendurable and that she really disliked working once for her, it sure sounded like it to her.

Andy saw her eyes still had the gloss of being ill, she was buttoned-up in her cream-colored floral nightie that was now accentuating the pink in her cheeks.

"Yes, that small publication for social justice. So, you stayed a week in my home?" Miranda's look showed Andy her complete shock at this news of Andy's sudden residency in her pristine townhouse.

"Yeah." Andy nodded.

"Yes is a civilized response. I understand you cannot cook."

"You'd be shocked what I can put together in a popcorn popper, and a rice maker, Miranda?" Andy shared this, not knowing why, it was something to say.

"Pizza is usually only a bi-monthly treat."

Andy met her eyes guiltily. "O-okay. It kinda became a daily one. We had Korean bbq one night. The girls ate fruit I swear. All organic. Apricots, kiwi, tangerines and other fruity good for you stuff."

Wincing she said stuff to Miranda. "Don't worry, I took care of your twins." Assuring this. "Like as if they were my own."

"I know you did." Miranda admitted out.

Holding Andy's eyes still stunned how her last assistant was here.

In her home, in her bed-…bedroom.

"Why are you here?" Miranda exhaled out, her blue gray eyes held hers questioningly.

"Cassidy and Caroline asked me to come to help you and so I did."

"Yes, but why did you do that Andrea?" Miranda desperately needed to know this.

Why do this for her? Miranda she couldn't figure out logically, pondering Andrea helping her so freely. Why be this way to her? And then why make her seethe, that she wanted nothing back from her.

"Maybe I owe you back for Paris, and I just wanted to show you, I'm not just a disappointment for you." Andy confessed.

"You do owe me for Paris." Miranda stated that tersely. Not commenting on being her disappointment.

Pressing her lips together at that time. "It seems I now owe you for this, for being here like this for me."

Trying to quash this dissonance that they always had, because Andrea never listened.

Miranda did indeed think she was a disappointment, because inchoate Andrea could do a million times better than write for The Mirror, if only she'd stayed on with her guidance, Andrea could write for any magazine even hers.

Not that Andrea thought anything was worth writing in her Runway.

Miranda always compromised with Andrea around and tried to get along with the brunette who was not like any other assistants she'd had before, like that time on her first day guiding her about her lumpy blue sweater.

They got along eventually, didn't they? She stopped calling her Emily and showed Andrea she was valued by letting her ride in an elevator with her.

Even patiently explaining what a run-through was and picking her for Paris.

Emily couldn't do everything for her on crutches rushing around Paris, Andrea was calmer and more switched on capable and then without warning, she did that to her in Paris.

She had seen quite a bit of herself in Andrea, why was that so horrible to the brunette?

Comparing herself.

They had similar qualities. Just not in clothes and very clearly not in hats. Wincing at the thing on Andrea's head in her eye line.

Was Andrea just learning knitting?

"Miranda. I honestly don't expect anything from you."

Tilting her white head at her, mouth thinning. What the hell did she mean by that?

Andrea was now and then, just like that tinfoil popcorn. Meant to hurt, burn her. With even that smile of hers.

Especially her words just said. Not from her.

Prickling still at that.

Being told she honestly didn't expect anything from her, she always sent thank you notes and gifts.

Was Andrea accusing her of being rude? Possessing no etiquette.

"Andrea I have to repay you back somehow." Propping her elbow up in her pillows. Why couldn't Andrea just accept something from her?

Wracking her brain, a portfolio of shares in Runway or Elias Clarke, no Andrea's views on fashion being vapid would scoff at that given, or a new wardrobe scanning the lanky brunette's current ensemble.

What could she give Andrea in return for this unexpected kindness?

"I have a place on McDougal and Sullivan. It's yours."

Was Miranda for real? Help her through the flu, here's a million dollar real estate listing as a little something.

"W-What? Miranda I don't want an apartment from you." Andy meant that.

Usually Miranda gave pretty decent thoughtful small gifts like flower bouquets overnighted from OverARose in Paris, and Andy knew that she personally selected champagne or a box of macaroons from Lauderee for others, along with a week's stay at a spa for one acquaintance.

Andy swiped one of her Post It notes once from her desk.

"Stop. Miranda, you don't owe me anything for this. Not like that."

"I do." Her voice sounded small and hurt.

'I don't want anything from you, Miranda. " Andy didn't want anything material like that, the only thing that she wanted was her love.

That wasn't something Miranda would give her.

Ever.

Why wouldn't she just let her give her something back? Was she that terrible a person to Andrea still?

Maybe in Paris, with Nigel she made a selfish decision. She had to.

Nigel got over it. Why couldn't Andrea?

Feeling her eyes filling, she blinked and blinked, but the stinging tears wouldn't stay back. Andrea really did hate her enough not to accept any of her gratitude that she was trying to express.

"Miranda. Stop."

"No." it was a raspy answer back.

"Don't cry." Andy whispered out.

Great, she'd made Miranda upset enough to cry. Usually it was she made her livid. Holding Miranda while she was trippy hopped up on cough medicine was a lot easier as Andy gave a quick shoulder pat.

Miranda didn't say anything about the shoulder pat, which means it was only weird and intimate for one of them.

Tears running down her sharp cheekbones. Sniffing.

Miranda's tears were like silk bonds, making her hurt too, making her want to hold her tight again. She was afraid of them, especially from her but she wanted them on her shirt, which Miranda surely thought was hideously ugly, on her skin, on her soul.

They gave her power and made her feel helpless all at once.

Then to Andy's surprise the tears just got worse. Oh no. Andy groaned. "Don't. Do that. Miranda…I'd appreciate if your tears could cease."

She would not. What was wrong with Andrea? Was she not allowed to actually be human in front of Andrea also?

Miranda lifted her shimmering eyes to find Andrea looking at her like she'd just done some terrible injury to her, and for some reason, that made her cry more.

"Shit. You cry a lot. Just like Cassidy." Andy grumbled out at her.

What did Andrea mean just like Cassidy? She was not tolerating her being here in her bedroom any further, bad mouthing one of her Bobbsey crassly and not allowing her to cry.

Andy walked towards the bed, making her freeze against the pillows as she bent right next to her.

"Andrea?" Scrubbing at her wet eyes.

Opening it, stuffing her rude hand in her nightstand drawer, her brows arched, that was her drawer, in her nightstand and her things were in it, that Andrea had no right to open or rummage through it.

Not seeing she took out, then sat down on the bed with her.

"Here," Andy held one tissue up to her face, wiping her wet ivory cheeks, and awakening every single part of her body in doing that.

Seeing Miranda's eyes going so wide on her.

Andy stilled her hand, her dark almond eyes bore into Miranda's with a soft glow.

"Sorry. I guess I just got used to …sorry." Andrea's fingers lifted off her, she quickly got up. Her arm was caught, pale fingers ran up it.

"Hey."

Gripped by her. "You almost dislocated my wrist Miranda."

"You'll survive Andrea."

Miranda's fingertips outlined it as her blue eyes traced it with scrutiny. Mouthing out the name. "Tannis."

Cassidy said Andrea had this thing on her.

It was a tattoo like raised handwriting.

"Who's Tannis?"

"Tannis is somebody special to me. Someone I love. Always." Andy shared with her.

Oh.

"Tannis." Miranda pondered the name.

"Tannis is she a girlfriend? She must be pretty to be on you?"

Miranda almost groaned at saying this out loud, wondering unhappily if this Tannis was beautiful and was she in love with Andrea.

They probably were perfect together. Andrea and Tannis.

Imagining this seductive Tannis slipping into a steamy soak with candles in a tub with a wet naked Andrea.

Pinking at that thought in her head, what the hell was she doing, thinking of Andrea naked. If it was some bad side effect of cough suppressant, almost picturing the last person she'd ever want to see naked, naked.

There should be warnings on labels. Glancing up to look at the goofy brunette who was still wearing that ugly hat.

Andy's lips pressed together, her eyes crinkled. "Tannis was my mother's name."

Miranda felt terrible at thinking of Tannis grinding naked in a tub with Andrea, now only picturing water wings and not searing kisses in a tub, to Andrea, with now learning that Tannis was her Mom and wait, Andrea said was...

"Was?"

"She died." Looking like she didn't want to talk about it. Miranda hand now let Andy's arm go.

Oh God. Was it some tragic accident? It was cancer, wasn't it? Was Andrea, just a child when it happened?

Picturing a smaller Andrea at a funeral, with teary big brown eyes.

Didn't Tannis get to see her become this beautiful woman sitting in front of her? Was that why she didn't have a clue with fashion.

"It was a long time ago. Miranda." Andy got up from the bed, away from her. "Now I do really need to get going now, Miranda and you need a shower."

Making Miranda's face go pink.

Her strange beguiling ex assistant who she thought hated her, turned to go, but she called her back.

"Andrea… Thank you." Meaning it very sincerely to her.

Willing herself to say it, to the hard to cipher brunette, "Are we sort of friends now?" Miranda didn't want to presume anything.

"Miranda Priestly did you just say the f word to me?" Andy looked truly shocked at her, her eyes grew big.

Miranda nodded carefully.

"You want us to attempt a friendship?" Andy looked like she was mulling the suggestion as if holding a nuclear warhead in her hands.

"If you'd like to try that with me, Andrea?"

Friends with Miranda. That would be new and not unwelcome to Andy to attempt to try. Even if it meant placed in the friend zone, and meant having the sexual appeal of a lamp to her.

It would be nice. Andy weighed this. Wanting to be the person she called and just talked to, just as much as the one thing she didn't have a chance at.

"Sure. Why not. Friends." Her mouth tilted into a genuine smile on her.

"Do you do Facebook, maybe I'd let you friend me."

"Wow. You'll friend me on there too."

Miranda only had Caroline and Cassidy on it.

"Andrea I can look at things you like and you can look at what I like and then we can poke each other."

"Yeah. We could poke each other lots but let's get to know one another Miranda more without a poke. I would like one thing from you more than poking me."

Crossing her arms in bed. "You told me you wanted nothing that I offered before." Miranda was trying hard not to sound affronted but was still taking umbrage with Andrea's attitude.

"Yes I did, but give me just this, let's spend time together, you and me, and Cassidy and Caroline." Getting Miranda's phone out from the Hermes bag and putting her new number it into Miranda's contact list.

"Here, I'm now in your life again. Call me about anything."

Miranda saw it was a new number and that she had a new phone. "I suppose me being a friend now Andrea. I might for some reason phone you, since your last form of telecommunication is still in a Parisian fountain if I'm not mistaken?"

Miranda's face told her that she seen the fountain fling happen.

Going incarnadine, clutching her smartphone. "This, is not going into the Hudson." Andy promised that.

Surprised that Andrea would want to see her again after everything she did in Paris and before with how she treated her at Runway and now with being sick.

"So, this Saturday at 1, I've got to review a movie and diner on the West Side, come with me to it. We're friends now." Andy reminded teasing her.

Miranda nodded shyly her acceptance of this friendship. "Let's be the best of friends. Andrea."

"We will be. But Miranda, call me Andy." Andy corrected her, with a hopeful smile, there was no lumpy sweater between them now.

"I'm not calling you that." Miranda was dead serious.

"You will." Andy promised.

"Never happening. Andrea." Miranda was firm on that.

Andy gave an off center smile, shaking her head at Miranda's declaration. "Guess. Only in bed, I'm Andy to you."

Blushing at Andrea's words now. Only in bed. What did Andrea mean by that?

"What do you mean only in bed your Andy to me?" Her eyes said she was scandalized. Her cheeks tinged pink. Not too sure if it was, over saying Andy or saying it in bed. Or saying Andy and a bed with her.

"See Miranda how easy it is to say it, you said it now and you said it, last Thursday, the twins even witnessed you say it." Andy smirked.

"I was obviously under the influence of Robitussen or Buckley's." Miranda sneered. Her face almost up to hers. Bringing the great wall called Miranda up, which Andy didn't want erected ever again.

It was enough tackling the mountain of attitude that was Miranda Priestly for the last five minutes.

Miranda licked her dry lips. Aware of this, she was so close to Andrea.

"Could you not…Andrea please back up."

"What?" Andy looked down at the small space between them, seeing something in her ivory face because she quickly moved away.

"Better?"

Miranda inhaled. "Yes, much, thank you."

"I'm still not ever calling you that nickname?"

Andy held up her hands in truce and made to leave her. "Fine. Andy is only elicited by you, under strong oral influence."

Miranda's cheeks pinked.

"I'll see you and the girls Saturday at one. It's a classic matinee. So wear something casual." Grinning at the idea if Miranda even owned anything casual.

Like jeans.

Daring to tell her what to wear. Giving Andy a look, she had casual, and could dress casual. "Saturday. At one. We'll be there, Andrea." Miranda promised, holding her expressive eyes for a moment, an almost smile threatening to quirk her lips up.

"You said you had to go." Reminding Andy what she'd said and who was just now, only just looking at her.

It was her hair, wasn't it? It must look horrible to Andrea use to her being so flawless.

God so that's what she looked like in the morning in bed. Andy hoped her voice didn't wobble. "Yeah-Yes, I gotta get going. Miranda."

"Goodbye, I will see you Saturday. Andrea."

Andy shook her head at that familiar way Miranda said her name, which she secretly liked but would never admit it, now leaving Miranda to go undress and shower.

Her phone pinged with a text interrupting her as she was undoing the buttons on the yoke of her nightgown.

"You not only call me Andy only in bed but you do give good cuddles." Making Miranda blush from ear to ear.

Andy's bubble blinked with three dots writing in typing more. "You also snore."

"I do not snore." Miranda typed back, pressing her lips together.

"You do too. It's like a tiger or no wait was it like a buzz saw. Either, it's cute though and unexpected." Andy typed back with a grin on her face as she crossed Miranda's street.

"Enough. I. Do. Not. Snore. Andrea? It isn't a horror your reviewing is it?"

Andy typed out the title which Miranda read out to herself. Relieved, it was something she knew she'd like and hadn't seen it and also Cassidy and Caroline viewing friendly.

Typing one more thing back to her white haired lady in her life now. "I loved that perm from prom."

Andy stepping onto the subway, and sent a wink face.

Emily didn't know how it transpired. It was just horrific, Andrea was friends with Miranda.

Do you want Indian, hopefully up to the value of $25?

Or flung through my mailbox daily is a two for one coupon from Flaming Vesuvius Burritos 24-hour taco stand that names its menu items after Italian volcanoes and spiciest is called atomic, will we be putting it to use?

Miranda typed back she was working through lunch with Irv. Besides Indian gave her heartburn.

Andy sent an emoji of sympathy. Nigel craned on her left to see who it was. Aware that was Six's fifth text message this morning.

What was going on between them, Nigel speculated silently.

M, still seeing you Thursday night at 7?

Of course. Miranda replied back. Her mouth curved up. Typing out. Andrea aren't you supposed to be working?

Pinging back.

Maybe but my review on a time travelling penis can wait for you.

Miranda blue eyes went wide as she glanced at her phone screen and flickered with embarrassment down at Andy's words, as she responded quickly typing back.

Why are you reviewing a time-travel penis and as a Mirror reader should I be worried?

Explaining it as Miranda chewed her lip, trying not to laugh during Irv's presentation. Flickering blue eyes took in Andrea's penis explanation. It's for an off Broadway play, I experienced last night.

Miranda hid a small smile from Paul and Jocelynn and Lucia at Andy's next message.

No to lunch then. Have dinner with me, I got us a table at the weirdest restaurant you'll love it.

Nigel tried to read Miranda's text again, almost dropping his own folders, okay why in hell was Six talking to Miranda about a time travelling penis?