Title: Pursuing Happiness Pairing: Miranda/ Andy Chapter Rating: PG Disclaimer: Sadly I do not own any of the characters of the Devil Wears Prada. Luckily I do own a laptop which allows me to write Summary: Andy doesn't go to Paris. Now what?

A/N Well I guess I'm back… Sooner than I had expected, but well I had an idea and ran with it… I hope you'll like it. Let me know if it's worth continuing!

Chapter 1

"Andrea?" Miranda called out.

Andy hesitated for a moment before picking up the book again and walking towards Miranda's study. She quickly took her hat off and straightened out her outfit. She always wanted to look good when she faced Miranda and as of late it wasn't just because she wanted to impress her boss. No, now she straightened out her clothes and made sure she looked good because she wanted to impress her as a woman not as her boss. Andy sighed when that thought went through her head. She shouldn't be thinking like this. She had Nate, Miranda was married and it was never ever going to happen because Miranda didn't think of her in that way.

"Do you have the book?" Miranda asked when Andy walked in her office.

"Oh," Andy muttered and quickly gave the book to Miranda inwardly cursing herself for being so distracted and for admiring the way Miranda looked. She looked softer somehow, more relaxed. Probably because she was at home.

'She's beautiful,' Andy thought wistfully.

Meanwhile Miranda was studying Andy's appearance.

'She has definitely come far,' Miranda thought admiring the stylish outfit and the haircut that framed those gorgeous brown eyes beautifully. Miranda hesitated for a split second wondering if she really should go through with what she had planned to do, but then Andrea smiled hesitantly at her which erased all thoughts but one: 'I really want her to go to Paris with me.'

"Paris is the most important week of my entire year. I need the best possible team with me. That no longer includes Emily," Miranda started looking from the book to Andy.

"Wait, you... You want me to... No... Miranda! Emily would die. Her whole life is about Paris. She hasn't eaten in weeks. I... can't do that, Miranda. I can't," Andy stuttered shocked.

"If you don't go I'll assume you're not serious about your future. At Runway or any other publication," Miranda replied evenly.

Andy stared at her in horror when she realized exactly what Miranda was telling her.

"The decision's yours," Miranda added feeling a twinge of guilt when she saw the horror in those brown eyes. But she needed to make sure Andrea went with her to Paris so she just plowed on.

"But..." Andy said weakly.

"That's all," Miranda interrupted ignoring her feelings of guilt. She needed Andrea there with her in Paris and she was willing to do anything to achieve that.

Andy closed her mouth swallowing her retort and walked out of the townhouse and onto the street. She had no idea where she was going, but she needed to think and figured going for a walk might help with that.

'She wants me to go to Paris with her,' Andy thought incredibly confused as a bunch of contradicting feelings were coursing through her. She was happy because Miranda had acknowledged her improvement and wanted her to accompany her to Paris. She felt sad because if she went to Paris with Miranda she would be stealing Emily's dreams away from her and even though the British woman wasn't the nicest person in the world she didn't deserve that kind of betrayal either. And she felt angry. Angry at Miranda for putting her in this position. For threatening to fire her if she didn't comply. Andy sighed miserably. She really wanted to go to Paris. It was a great opportunity career wise, she wouldn't get fired and would meet a lot of influential people. Plus she would be able to see Paris with someone she cared about. Okay, maybe cared about was an understatement. She realized she had been attracted to Miranda for quite some time and that it was slowly growing into something more which kind of worried her, but she felt powerless to do anything about it. Andy shook her head trying to shake all thoughts of her crush on Miranda out of it and concentrate on the situation at hand: Paris. So going to the city of light had a lot of advantages, but on the other hand she would be betraying herself and Emily and would be risking her already unstable relationship with Nate. Andy sighed again. Her relationship with Nate was a whole other problem. She knew that her feelings for him had changed slightly. She still loved him, but she wasn't in love with him anymore which of course put a huge strain on their relationship. She knew that she was beginning to feel more for Miranda than she did for Nate and she also knew that if she went to Paris that her feelings for Miranda would grow making it impossible for her to stay with Nate which meant she had to choose here and now: her relationship with Nate who was a good and loyal boyfriend or her feelings for her unobtainable beautiful boss? Andy sighed for the third time and started walking home hoping that she would be able to come to a decision before facing Miranda tomorrow.

When Andy awakened the next morning at the sound of her alarm clock she felt like crap. She slowly got up and stumbled towards the bathroom leaving a still dead to the world Nate lying in the bed. She still didn't know what to do and her time was quickly running out.

An hour later Andy was already at the office waiting for Miranda to arrive. She still wasn't sure what she was going to do, but figured the right decision would come to her.

'But what's the right decision?' Andy thought franticly.

She was shook out of her thoughts by Miranda entering the office and throwing her coat and bag onto Emily's desk. Miranda briskly walked into her own office but not before saying:

"Andrea, don't forget to tell Emily."

That's what did it for Andy. That's what made her see what she had to do.

"I can't Miranda," Andy said softly.

"What do you mean you can't?" Miranda asked shocked.

"I can't do that to Emily. Paris is her dream I can't take that away from her," Andy stated sadly. She wanted to go with Miranda, but she really couldn't do it to Emily. Her only hope was that Miranda would have mercy and wouldn't fire her.

Miranda sat there at her desk shocked. She had been so sure that Andrea would accompany her so it came as a complete shock that Andrea had refused and it shocked her even more that it was because of Emily. Suddenly a surge of jealousy overtook Miranda. Andrea put Emily's wishes above hers?

"Well then," Miranda started her voice ice-cold. "You can pack your things and leave."

Andy nodded and swiftly turned so that Miranda wouldn't see the tears that were burning in her eyes. And then Andy did the only thing she could do: she packed up her stuff with tears streaming down her cheeks and a broken heart thumping painfully in her chest. In less than five minutes Andy was ready to leave behind that what she had worked hard for. To leave behind the woman she was falling for. Andy briefly contemplated telling Miranda about her feelings, but discarded the idea. Miranda would probably react coldly which she knew would completely destroy her. She was barely holding it together as it was.

"Goodbye, Miranda," Andy whispered as she walked toward the elevator ready to leave Elias-Clarke for good.

Meanwhile Miranda was staring out her window trying to ignore the pain that had started burning inside her since she told Andrea to go. She knew the young woman was gone. The ding of the elevator had announced that and she knew that the brunette was sad to go, but she also knew that Andrea's pain was nothing compared to hers. She had let Andrea in, had come to rely on her and now she had lost her and the loss hurt. So much. Much more than Andrea could ever hurt from losing her job. She hadn't seen Andrea's tears nor had she heard her say goodbye, so Miranda came to the conclusion that Andrea hadn't really cared all that much and therefore she shouldn't either.

"Emily! Are you okay?" Nigel asked his eyes wide as he took in the broken leg.

"Nigel? What are you doing here?" Emily asked surprised. She had thought Miranda would send Andrea to get the Hermes scarves from her.

"Miranda sent me," Nigel answered. "Andy quit or got fired. I'm not sure which one," he continued thinking of the confusing letter she had left for him. She had said goodbye, had thanked him for his help and friendship and had promised she would call him sometime.

"She quit?" Emily screeched. "Just like that? And what? Thought Emily wouldn't mind being stuck with an ill-tempered Miranda just before Paris Fashion Week? Christ! And of course she leaves now when I'm barely able to move!"

"Emily!" Nigel interrupted Emily's rant. "I'm not sure exactly what happened because Andy's letter was kind of confusing and Miranda sure isn't going to tell me the details. But what I do know is that Miranda offered Andy to go with her to Paris."

"Paris? But… What about me?" Emily asked a little confused.

"Did you hit your head or something?" Nigel asked looking a little annoyed. "She offered Andy to come with her instead of you and now Andy's gone so what do you think happened?" Nigel asked looking at Emily meaningfully.

"You mean she refused?" Emily asked flabbergasted.

"I think she did," Nigel replied nodding. "And I think that's why she got fired. So if you ask me I think you owe her… Big time!"

As Andy walked into Lilly's gallery she tried to look cheerful, but she knew she was failing miserably.

"Hi Andy!" Doug said and leaned in to kiss her on the cheek. "What's up?" He asked frowning as he noticed the sad look in her eyes.

"Hi Doug," Andy greeted softly. "I got fired."

"You what?"

"Miranda fired me," Andy repeated in a hollow tone.

"Why?" Lilly asked as she joined her two friends.

"I refused to go to Paris with her."

"Why would you refuse to go to Paris?" Doug squeaked.

"Because she wanted me to go instead of Emily," Andy answered.

"Oh," Doug said looking at Andy worriedly.

"Yeah," Andy sighed.

"I'm sorry, girl," Lilly said hugging Andy and looking at Doug who was looking back at her with understanding in his eyes. They had both realized that Andy was starting to feel something for her boss and they hadn't minded. Nate was a good guy but he wasn't the guy for their Andy. Andy needed someone who was going to support her, who was going to push her to be more and who was going to love her as she was. Nate wasn't that person. He didn't support her, he definitely didn't push her to be more and he loved his version of her. Both Doug and Lilly had noticed that Nate didn't really see Andy. Not the real Andy anyway.

"You're a great friend, Andy. Not many people would forego a chance like that," Doug murmured.

"I know," Andy whispered smiling slightly but it didn't reach her eyes.

"Come on, let's go admire the pieces," Doug said as he dragged Andy towards the art work.

"Have fun!" Lilly called after them before greeting some of the other guests.

"I still can't believe she fired you," Doug exclaimed as they stood in front of the last two pieces.

"You were fired?" Nate asked from behind them trying hard not to sound cheerful and failing miserably.

"Yeah," Andy replied still sounding hollow.

"Why?' Nate asked suppressing a grin.

"I refused to go to Paris instead of Emily."

"Oh… Well, it's probably for the best. After all it was a really demanding job. Maybe you'll have some time for a personal life now," Nate replied rubbing Andy's back.

Andy didn't reply.