A/N: The second half of this chapter is rated M for Mirandy, kiddos. Caveat lector.

Chapter 5/5

"Andrea, what are you doing here?" Miranda asked, looking down at her hands.

Andrea was too busy taking everything in—she had changed so much in just five years. She hardly even looked like the same person. Her hair was longer and styled straight in a sort of soft bob, and she wore very little makeup. She was considerably thinner, and her casual cotton clothes hung limply on her bony frame.

"Andrea?"

"Oh, um…sorry?" she said.

"What are you doing here?" Miranda repeated.

"Cassidy and Caroline sent me a note. Well, rather, they sent me a copy of something you had written…something I'm certain you never intended for me to see," Andrea said uncomfortably. Seeing Miranda shift on the couch, she added, "But don't be upset with them—they were just thinking about you."

"Oh my god," Miranda whispered as she brought her knees up to her chest, burying her face.

"Miranda, look at me," Andrea said after some time.

"I can't."

Andrea stood from the chair and began quietly pacing the room. There was so much she wanted to say right now. She needed a second to compose herself. "Damnit!" she shouted, quickly covering her mouth with her hand. Miranda's face was still buried against her knees, but she could hear her sobbing. "You don't get to do this to me," Andrea shouted. "You don't get to hide. You pushed me away. I've…it's been five years, my god!"

"What do you want from me?" Miranda cried, lifting her head just enough to be heard.

"You, damnit! Look at me," Andrea said. "Don't you dare try to make me feel guilty. Look at me and stop hiding."

"Get out," she said. "GET. OUT!" Her tiny body shook with the force of her voice, and it clearly caught Andrea off guard. Few had ever heard Miranda scream like that.

"No."

"What?" she snapped.

"I said 'no,'" Andrea said. "Miranda, there will be arguments. We won't agree on everything all the time. Look at me."

Miranda slowly looked up and met Andrea's gaze with red, puffy eyes. Without breaking her gaze, Andrea walked over to the couch and sat next to her. She reached up and gently cupped her cheek, brushing the tears away with her thumb. Miranda's eyes fluttered closed and she worried her lower lip. When she opened her eyes, Andrea's gaze was still fixed, but she couldn't quite figure out what was going through her mind.

"What?" Miranda asked.

"I can't decide if I should slap you or kiss you," Andrea admitted.

Miranda gasped and her eyes widened. "I'm so sorry, Andrea," she whispered.

Andrea nodded and wrapped Miranda in a tight embrace. "It's okay—it's all going to be okay now," she said through her own tears. "I forgive you."

Miranda pushed away from Andrea and looked in her eyes. "You do?" she asked in disbelief.

"Yes," Andrea said with a smile. "You are the most difficult woman in the world, but I love you."

"Oh, darling," Miranda said. She took Andrea's head in her hands and kissed her with five years' worth of passion.

When they parted for air, Miranda reached down, tugging at the hem of Andrea's blouse, but Andrea took her hand and stilled her movements. "Not tonight," she said. "This is so much to take in—I just—I can hardly believe you're real."

"C'm here," Miranda said, shifting her position and tugging Andrea alongside her. "I…I am never letting you go again, darling," she said, kissing her softly on the forehead.

"Mmmh," Andrea murmured, closing her eyes and drifting to sleep as the day's emotions took its toll on her.

"Look at how cute they are," Cassidy whispered.

"It's adorable," Caroline said, quickly snapping a photo with her iPhone. "Should we wake them up?"

"Well, Andy probably has to go to work tomorrow, so, yeah," she said, heading back to the foyer.

"Mom will probably be all embarrassed when she wakes up, so let's pretend we just got home," Caroline said.

Cassidy opened—then slammed—the front door, heading past the sitting room and into the kitchen. "We're home!" she called loudly.

Miranda took a deep breath and looked over at the smiling brunette next to her. "Will you stay tonight? Please?"

Andrea smiled and nodded. "I just need to call work and tell them I won't be in tomorrow," she said. She gave Miranda a quick kiss on the cheek before pushing herself up off the couch.

"And I," Miranda said, stretching, "will go deal with Thing 1 and Thing 2." She reached out and squeezed Andrea's hand before heading into the kitchen.

Later that evening, after the girls went to bed, Miranda led Andrea into her bedroom.

"Here," she said, handing Andrea some items she pulled from her drawer, "lounge pants and a ribbed tank okay or do you prefer something else?"

"That's perfect, thanks," Andrea said. She stopped and looked down at the clothes in her hand. "I, uh—we're still—uh—" she stammered.

"Second thoughts?" Miranda asked, unable to hide the look of disappointment from her eyes.

"No! No," Andrea said. "I just was hoping to sleep with you tonight. But I get it."

"Huh? Of course you're sleeping here with me," Miranda said as she wrapped her arms around the young woman's waist. "I told you I am never letting you go," she said, pressing their lips together.

"So, these clothes?" Andrea asked.

"I just thought you'd be more comfortable—and less tempting—if you were wearing something. That's all," Miranda said.

Andrea nodded, and Miranda followed her into the bathroom, practically running into her when she stopped suddenly.

"Is everything okay?"

"I, uh…do you have a tampon I can borrow—use?"

Miranda held up a finger and stepped out to retrieve a box from the linen closet in the hall. She handed Andrea the box, then stepped closer to the vanity to brush her teeth. Andrea walked further into the bathroom and shut the door. When she was finished, she washed her hands, removed her makeup, and swished around some mouthwash before joining Miranda in bed.

"Did you find everything you needed?" Miranda asked.

"Yes, thank you."

"You know, you're lucky I have two teenage daughters…"

"Ah, yes, about that. I take it you no longer—?" Andrea said, trailing off.

"No. Not since—well, almost three years ago. Let's change the subject."

"Okay, but you brought it up," Andrea said with a smile.

"I changed my mind, okay?" Miranda snapped.

"Okay. Miranda, I was teasing," she said, turning to her side and wrapping her arms around the older woman. "Is this a bad time to ask what you've been up to in the last five years?"

"Pfft. I guess there is no good time to talk about that, is there?"

"Miranda, what happened with Runway?" Andrea asked, propping herself up on her elbow.

"Andrea, I don't want to talk about this. I'm not the same person you used to know," she said as she turned her back to her.

Andrea gently stroked her arm and scooted closer. "I know," she whispered in her ear, "I know you're not the same—neither am I—but that doesn't change anything between us. You were devastated when Elias Clarke cut Runway. I noticed they brought it back in 2007, but without you."

"You are telling me things I already know," Miranda said. "What more do you want me to say? They wanted me out? They didn't think I was good enough? I was wrong and they are perfectly successful without me? Do you want me to say I wish they would have taken me back? The truth is…they did want me, but I wasn't ready. And now I'm 54, unemployed, and overqualified for everything. Do you know what that feels like? Do you?"

Wrapping her arms tightly around the woman's slender frame, Andrea held her while she cried. As her tears dried, Andrea trailed gently kisses along her jawline and down her neck.

"I'm so sorry I wasn't there for you," she said between kisses.

"Ohhh…darling," Miranda softly sighed as she tilted her head, giving Andrea better access. "Mmmm," she moaned arching her back into Andrea's touch.

"How did you keep busy all those years?" she asked, gently nibbling on Miranda's collarbone. "What did you think about all day?"

"You," Miranda said breathlessly.

"Me?" Andrea asked, staring down at the beautiful woman lying next to her.

"Yes," she said as she tried to move closer.

Andrea quickly straddled the older woman, pinning her arms above her head. "Miranda Priestly, you are the most beautiful woman in the world," she said. "I don't care if you don't have job, or if you have teenage daughters, or if you're in menopause or what—none of that means anything to me. I just want you, can't you see?"

Andrea kissed her with all the lust of the past five years until she was dizzy from lack of oxygen. When she finally pulled away, Miranda was writhing beneath her, bucking her hips and arching her back.

"Oh pleeaaase," Miranda moaned, "I need you."

Andrea smiled, letting go of Miranda's wrists as she slithered down her body. "You are splendid, Miranda," she whispered as she unbuttoned Miranda's silk nightshirt. "Perfection," she purred, pressing her lips to her sternum. Her lips trailed upwards, licking and sucking at her darkened nipples as Miranda's moans urged her on. "Delicious," she said before cupping her breast and devouring her nipple.

"Oh—huh—huh—ahhhh—oh god oh god oh god—Andreeeeeaaah," she said between breaths. "I need—I can't—oh god—oh godd—please!"

As content as Andrea was playing with Miranda's breasts, she shifted, straddling Miranda's right leg as she trailed kisses down her belly. Miranda was kicking and squirming, her right leg shaking as she ached for release. Andrea felt her own arousal deep in her belly. She was ready to explode. But first, Miranda.

She plunged her fingers deep within Miranda's walls and massaged her palm against her clitoris.

"Ohhhhhhhh!" she cried out. Andrea felt a flood of hot moisture against her hand, Miranda's muscles tightly sucking on her fingers. Andrea smiled as she realized Miranda was nowhere near finished.

While Miranda tried to catch her breath, Andrea began rocking back and forth, grinding against Miranda's thigh until she was sufficiently relieved for the time being. Andrea slowly began curling and twisting up her fingers inside Miranda, sending her back over the edge again and again.

Nearly an hour later, Miranda reached up and took Andrea's wrist, stilling her fingers as she slipped them out. "No more…tonight. I…can't…anymore," she panted.

Andrea curled up alongside her, licking her fingers as she rested her head on Miranda's shoulder. "Hmph," Andrea giggled, looking down at her hand. "It looks like I've had my hand underwater for hours," she said, holding her prune-like fingers up for Miranda to see.

"This doesn't mean you're quitting, does it?" Miranda asked.

"Of course not," Andrea said, softly tickling Miranda's waist. "I may just need to give my fingers a break for a while and use my tongue," she said. Andrea slowly dragged her tongue across Miranda's collarbone, sending a shiver through the woman's body. "Is this what you want?" she asked.

"Yes—oh god yes," Miranda said.

Andrea dragged her tongue all the way to her navel. "Hmm? What was that?" she asked.

"No, wait. We can—tomorrow," she panted.

"So you don't want this?" Andrea asked, quickly licking the inside of her thighs as she pressed Miranda's legs further apart.

"No—yes—oh shit!" she cried out as Andrea plunged her tongue inside her hot, dripping folds. "Ohhhhhh—so close so close soclose!" she cried, slipping her hand into her own curls.

Andrea quickly pushed her hand away and licked her fingers before rubbing Miranda's clitoris. The combined sensations of Andrea's hot mouth and the quick motion of her fingers quickly sent Miranda over the edge. Andrea crawled back up alongside her and pressed a gentle kiss to her shoulder as she recovered.

"Wow," Miranda said, smiling. "Make-up sex really is the best."

"Oh, is that all you think this was?" Andrea teased.

"Well—or is it going to be like this with you every night?" she asked. "No, wait—I didn't mean that," she said, sighing. "I'm sorry. Forget I said that. I—you were incredible. That's all."

Andrea pushed herself up and looked down into Miranda's eyes. "It's okay. I like the idea of every night. I want this every night, but maybe without the making up part" she said.

"You do?" Miranda asked, her voice cracking.

"Yes, I do. I love you."

"Oh darling, I love you, too," she said, wrapping her arms tightly around the other woman. "Now for sure I am never letting you go."

"I wouldn't have it any other way," Andrea said.

THE END.