Author: pandora007
Disclaimer: Miranda, Andy belongs to Fox2000.
Pairing: Andy/Miranda or should I say Miranda/Andy!
Rating: K
Beta: sweetdebie. Thank you!
Summary: Well, Andy didn't leave after Paris and she still works for Runway, but after an inexplicable event, Miranda and Andy will have to learn how to deal with a new kind of responsibility, can't say much for now, you will see why!
Author´s note: This is my new story coming from a crazy idea that was born in my unstable mind for quite some time. Any similarity with a freakin movie is merely a coincidence. Enjoy!
For those who always take time to read my fics, thank you very much. I hope you like this one too. Comments are much appreciated.
"I wish you were me"
Chapter 1
Earth has Venus and Mars as neighbors, and once every six hundred years, a hundred and fifteen days and twenty two hours, they align. And today is the day.
In the elegant Upper West Side of NY, the rays of sunshine started to creep into Miranda's bedroom as she begin to wake up under the finest Baco's silk duvet that covered her body like a perfect second skin. She pushed the covers aside and opened her piercing blue eyes. Another day alone in this huge bed was her usual thought since Stephen left months ago. She sat on the bed doing small circles with her head to stretch her neck, which is a ritual she does every morning, even when she is late, which means, never.
In another part of NY, a place that Miranda would simply qualified as an offensive neighborhood to live in, Andy was still drooling on her pillow, in a messy bed with the sheet laying on the floor along with another pillow. When the clock went off, she woke up uttering the usual 'shout'. She stood up, took her shirt off and run to the little bathroom to start getting ready for work.
Back at the townhouse, Miranda walked out of her bedroom in her Italian nightgown and went straight to Caroline's bedroom and unplugged the iPod from her ear, making her stir. After, in the other bedroom, Miranda kissed Cassidy's forehead and gently tickled her feet. After waking up the girls she came back to her bedroom to start getting ready for her work. The day had barely started that she already knew she would have to deal with inefficiency.
xxxxxxx
After Paris, Andy had officially become the first assistant and the pleasant tasks were pretty much Emily's job, but then Emily twisted her ankle again after insisting she was able to wear heels even though the doctor had told her to rest her foot during four months. Consequently, Andy has been doing errands for a week already, but of course Miranda made sure Emily had part of her salary cut for that inexcusable fault.
Three shopping bags in her hands, the click of her D&G heels echoing in the busy street, Andy was running against the clock when her phone rang.
"Darling, it won't take long, I promise." Andy's mom said in advance.
"Mom, I'm very busy right now," Andy said turning the corner of a well-known coffee shop. If she were a sleepwalker, Starbucks would be her destination every night.
"I know, I just wanted to let you know that I spoke to your dad and we'll be able to be there on your birthday." Abby happily said.
"Mom, I have nothing planned, I may even have to work late that day, as I told you not even 12 hours ago," Andy tried again.
"Andy, you can't let this woman rule your life this way. Do you remember that the last time I visited you, you were calling her name in your sleep?" Abby said and Andy knew very well the reason of that. "It's not healthy, darling. A job should be enjoyable, it should not give you nightmares."
"Mom, I like my job, it's hard sometimes but I do like it. And Miranda is tough but she has to be like this or Runway would fall apart and so would many jobs, including mine." Andy said trying to make her mother understand.
"It's ok, darling. Don't get mad. I understand, but we're coming for your birthday anyway. We'll stay in a hotel, don't worry," Abby said, as if it was the only problem about them coming, "We'll talk later, bye darling." No sooner had Andy's mom hang up without giving her a chance to protest than another call was buzzing already, and luckily, it was not Emily complaining that she was late.
"Hey Lily," Andy said as she entered Starbucks.
"Hi," Lily greeted back, "I'm just calling to confirm; you will be free on your birthday, right?"
"As I just said to my mom, I still don't know," Andy said in a tired sigh. "I have to see if Miranda will need me. She will be the guest of honor of a party to raise money for breast cancer research on Sunday, so things are pretty busy right now."
"Andy, it's your birthday, and besides it is on Friday night," Lily said as if she had to remind her, "I already think it's an outrage that I have to ask if you can make it to what is supposed to be your surprise dinner party."
"I understand Lily, but I won't be able to tell you until I ask Miranda."
"Oh yeah, the anti Christ." Lily ironically said.
"Come on, stop it. She's not that bad, Lily" Andy handed the money to Mamie, the cashier woman, who already knows Andy's order by heart.
"Oh yeah, if I didn't know why you say that now, I'd think you're crazy."
"Stop it, I don't want to talk about that anymore, I shouldn't have told you in the first place," Andy's tone was flat. "In fact I have to hang up, I've got my hands full with coffee." Andy said as she mouthed 'thank you' to the young woman.
"I can't believe you still don't have a hole in your stomach from drinking that much coffee."
"Thanks for the good morning advice." Andy said ironically. "We'll talk later, bye."
"Bye," Lily ended the conversation.
xxxxxxx
A few minutes later, Andy was walking out of Hermes where she went to get a few Scarves for Miranda when her phone rang again.
"Lily, really, I don't have time to talk right now," Andy said edgily.
"Andy" the voice said over the phone.
"Oh hey Cassidy, how are you this morning"? Andy asked while trying to juggle carrying the coffee tray and the bags and holding the cell phone to her ear.
"Not well Andy, but you are busy right?" Cassidy asked in a low voice.
"A little darling, but I can talk, what's up?" Andy asked the twin.
"Mom came to talk to me and Caro this morning about sending us to school in France, and we don't want to go Andy."
"Darling, you should appreciate what you have and the chance to go and study in another country, this is a great opportunity."
"We do appreciate what we have, that's why we don't want to go. We like our school here and we don't want to leave our friends too." Cassidy explained.
"Darling, you can make friends anywhere," Andy said, looking both ways as she crossed the street.
"I know, but Kynan and Kyle won't be there." Cassidy said in a whisper.
"Who are those?" Andy asked with a smile.
"They started at Dalton this year, you don't remember them? The twin boys that brought us the hamsters on our birthday party?"
"Oh yeah I remember, those cute brown-haired and green-eyed boys," Andy smirked shaking her head, Miranda would have a heart attack if she knew her twins had a crush, "but honey you are only 10, I'm sure you and Caroline would have a lot of fun with other friends."
"Andy," Cassidy whined, "we don't want to go, we want to stay here. Is it too much to ask for you to understand?" Cassidy said with a tone that was pretty close to her mother's.
"Well, then you have to talk to your mother about that and say that to her."
"We tried, but when does she ever listen to us?" Cassidy asked in low tone, "Please, Andy, talk to her."
"Me?" Andy almost dropped the coffee as she passed the turnstile of Elias-Clarke, "Cass, are you trying to make your mother fire me again?" Andy asked waiting for the elevator.
"No Andy, this is serious, you have to help us," Cassidy say honestly. "And Caro and I already said sorry for that incident."
Andy sighed into the phone, "Alright, I will try, but no promises."
"Ok, thank you," Cassidy said now smiling.
"You're welcome."
"You're coming to the recital next week, right?" Cassidy asked, "Mom said it's ok for you to come with us."
"Your mom said that?" Andy asked surprised.
After the Harry Porter manuscript episode, Andy had started to spend more and more time with the twins. Miranda was surprised at how Andy could deal with her girls and how they seemed comfortable around her. Andy's presence had become frequent. She had already been invited to stay for dinner and movie sessions at the townhouse but only with Miranda's approval of course. In the beginning, Andy had been comfortable around the girls but she felt odd when she started to socialize with the Editor outside work. Miranda seems more relaxed when she is around the twins, less stressed, her laugh is more genuine. It's a completely different side of Miranda Priestly, Runway editor in chef, from what she is used to at work. Even the way she treats Andy is different. At home, she communicates and sometimes she even allows Andy to share a good glass of wine in her study when the girls go to bed. However, the day after, Andy goes back to being a mere slave that serves her purpose and that upsets her.
For Andy, Miranda is like day and night in the same body.
"Yes, and we can also go have dinner after that," Cassidy said excited bringing Andy back to reality.
"That's great, I will try, ok?" Andy said as the elevator door opened, "I have to go now, darling."
"Ok, bye Andy."
"Bye." Andy disconnected the phone.
Andy reached the twentieth third floor, she passed by the main door of Runway attempting to wave a good morning to the receptionist even though her hands were full and rushed into the corridors. When she entered the office, Emily was about to faint.
"Bloody hell, what took you so long?" Emily asked while helping her with some bags the best way she could with only one hand since the other one was holding a crutch.
"Sorry, has she asked for me?" Andy asked crossing the office to hang her coat.
"Of course she did. I was about to call you." Emily said sitting back down on her chair.
"Wish me luck." Andy fixed her messed hair the best way she could. She took a deep breath to regain some composure and walked into Miranda's office.
"Sorry Miranda, I had to deal with an unexpected problem at Ralph Lauren," Andy said as she put Miranda's scalding Starbucks on the table.
"What makes you think that I want to be familiar with your problems Andrea?" Miranda dryly snapped, turning the pages of the Book.
"Right, sorry," Andy apologized.
"I need you to book Mill Rock Island for Gisele's lingerie shoot…" Miranda was saying and Andy interrupted.
"It is not an unpopulated island..." now was Miranda's time to cut Andy's sentence with a stare. "Ok, I will try," Andy said and Miranda intensified her glare, "sorry, I will make it happen." Andy rectified.
"Perfect," Miranda gave her a small nod, "Don't forget to get the twins' gifts and their grandma's. I need you to pick up 5 leather pants and accessories from Ralph Lauren. I need to work on my speech for the party on Sunday night so I need you to reschedule my meeting with the art department to tomorrow morning at 10. I also need the advertising list for the June issue. And call Christopher Kane's office, I want the sketches of the twins' dresses by tomorrow." Miranda finished and Andy tried to memorize everything.
A few seconds later, Miranda looked up again, "Are you still here?"
"Miranda, I would like to talk to you. By any chance, would it be possible that I get this Friday night off?" Andy asked with pleading and frightened eyes.
Miranda stared blankly at her, "And why would I do that?" She asked raising an eyebrow.
"Well, coincidently, my birthday is this Friday and some of my friends have organized a surprised birthday dinner and…" Andy trailed off when Miranda grunted in annoyance, 'Why can't people be objective,' she thought.
"I will think about it, Andrea," Miranda said taking her coffee and turned her back to Andy, "That's all!"
xxxxxxx
Miranda came back to her office after a disastrous two-hour meeting with Meisel and the photography department about the swimsuit shoot. They will have to redo the shoot and for sure someone will not be very happy about that. As soon as she sat down on her chair her cell phone started to ring.
"Hello Bobsy," Miranda said with a smile. After that drained meeting, it was good to hear her child's voice.
"Mom, after Ballet, can Cassidy and I go shopping?" Caroline asked hopefully, "But just us."
"Of course not, Caroline," Miranda snapped.
"Please mom, it won't take long." She tried again.
"No, I will send Andrea to go with you."
"No mom, we want to buy something for Andy's birthday, she can't go with us."
Miranda was surprised by her girls' attitude, they never really cared about any of her assistants before, other than to make their lives a bit harder.
"Why don't you ask Emily to buy something?" Miranda suggested.
"Because we want to go buy something by ourselves," Caroline complained.
"Stop whining Caroline," Miranda sighed and straightened up in her chair when she saw Irv in the hall coming in her direction.
"I will tell Roy to go with you, and please, for once, listen to what he says." Miranda said hearing her girls' cheering on the other side of the phone. "Behave darling," she said and hang up as Irv stormed into her office.
"Miranda, I was just informed that you want to redo an entire photo shoot which will probably cost four hundred thousand dollars."
"There's nothing I can do about it." Miranda said in a dismissive tone.
"I don't care what you are going to do, I only care about the budget that you already overspent."
"Irv, I won't let Runway suffer because of irrelevant issues such as money. The shoot did not work like I wanted it to, so we will do it again and as many times as I think is necessary," Miranda said with her icy tone and Irv flinched. He knew Miranda was right, but the pleasure of upsetting her was stronger.
"Things are gloomy Miranda," he said and paused.
"What do you mean by that?" She asked.
"Our economy is unstable as you know, and Runway is not immune to that. And whether you like it or not, you will have to adjust to that reality." He answered almost with the same tone.
"Fashion will never…" Miranda started and he impolitely cut her off.
"We need efficient results," he started in his arrogant tone, " Technology is progressing, other magazines are growing, Runway is not the only fashion bible anymore Miranda."
"Yes, I agree Irv, and I have to remind you that with our talent and professionalism, Runway is the most profitable publication of Elias-Clarke, and that, more importantly, the other fashion magazines…" Miranda locked eyes with him with a wicked smile in the corner of her mouth, "…don't. Have. Me." She finished enjoying every word coming out of her mouth and Irv's reaction.
"You have one more shoot to redo Miranda, and that's it.", he said walking out of her office.
Miranda grunted in frustration. How very unpleasant it was to work with Irv after Paris. Well it was already unpleasant before but now things had worsened considerably. He did lose a battle, but the war was far from over. Each step she did was like walking in a mined field, she had to be careful, watch her back and trust no one.
xxxxxxx
Later, in the evening, Andy returned to Runway, exhausted after dealing with the vast errands she had to do that day. She quietly walked into Miranda's office and put 2 identical small packages on the table.
"Miranda, I did everything you asked for today, but just one thing is on hold…"
"What is that?" Miranda asked working on her laptop.
"Those are the twins' presents to their grandma," she nodded through the packages, "It was hard but I could get what you wanted," she opened her big pleasant smile.
"And where are the other presents?" Miranda asked not bothering to look at her.
"I went to Fred Leighton to get the twins' gifts for their recital next week and as you know they can't purchase what you wanted in such short time, but the manager guaranteed me that it would be done by next Tuesday." Andy was fidgeting saying everything as quick as possible while Miranda still was not paying her any attention.
"I told you I want those earrings by tomorrow, Andrea, the twins expect that," Miranda said, impassiveness in her voice.
"I know, Miranda, but I think it's not really a problem since they will only use them next weekend."
Miranda smirked bitterly "If I wanted your opinion Andrea, I would have asked you."
"I'm sorry, you're right, I will try to speak with them again and see what I can do," Andy said a little upset.
"Your incompetence never ceases to amaze me," Miranda desappointed, sighed and waved her hand. "That's all."
"That's all?" Andy asked back, "I had to go to five different places just to get this for you," she pointed to the packages again, "and I did everything in my power to get the girls' presents. Purchases like those usually take a month to be done." Andy raised her hands in defeat, "Is it too much to ask for you to sometimes recognize what I do here?" Andy asked in a quiet tone. She was not really mad, she just wanted some appreciation.
"I beg your pardon?" Miranda sat straight and took her glasses off, the glare she sent towards Andy was clearly saying 'this girl just lost her mind.'
"Emily and I do everything for you, everything, we make the impossible possible, but still, we never do anything right." Andy was feeling so frustrated. She knew she had a job to accomplish and that she was paid to do that, but sometimes hearing a simple thank you meant more than a paycheck, especially coming from Miranda.
Outside the office, Emily had put her hands together and had silently started praying for Andy to stop mentioning her name while being on the brink of getting her size 6 ass fired.
"You know what? I'm tired of all of this shit." Now she was definitely mad, she could feel her cheeks getting hotter.
Miranda stood from her seat and closed the distance between them.
"I wish you could stop five minutes of your precious day and be me." Andy said stepping back.
"You silly girl," Miranda finally spoke cutting her off, "Do you have the slightest idea of what it is to be me? Do you think you have the hard life? The hard job?" sarcasm was all over Miranda's face, "Because I do, I have to deal with everything in order to make Runway survive and for you," she pointed to Andy, "to get your paycheck at the end of the month and go back to your terrible little apartment, drink horrifyingly cheap wine and put your head on some shabby foam-filled pillow and sleep."
"I wish you were me," Andy started with the same level of coldness in her voice, "so you could feel what it is to work for you, and accomplish your crazy, unthinkable requests." Her eyes were burning with anger. She knew she was sealing her destiny with a long and painful period of unemployment.
"I wish you were me," Miranda returned, "so you could feel what it is to work surrounded by incompetent, brainless people who can't do simple chores to earn a paycheck."
"I'd like to see you in my position for just a day, so you could experiment how hard it is to be around a tyrant like you and see how much people hate you." Andy said and her heart was beating so fast it could collapse.
"I'd like to see you in my position for just a day as well, and see how you would ruin everything with your lack of intelligence," Miranda said. Her lines of expression on her forehead were wrinkled and intimidating.
"All you think about is about yourself!" Both of them said at the same time and cringed at the weird timing.
"Watch your tone Andrea, because you are this close" Miranda warned her.
"I don't fucking care Miranda," Miranda's low tone was surpassed by Andy's heated one filling the room.
Miranda almost had the urge to raise her voice back, but instead she raised an eyebrow, "You're fired," she said, her attitude even and confident. She was absolutely positive that Andy would beg her not to do that and would do anything for her to reconsider and call it momentarily stupidity.
"Oh no no, I won't give you that pleasure," Andy was only inches away from Miranda now, "I quit," she yelled and turned her back at Miranda slamming the office door behind her.
Five seconds later, Andy came back and Miranda had to fight the urge to show her victorious smile.
"People don't respect you, they fear you, and there is a big difference between respect and fear, even your children feel that way." Andy said the last part and regretted immediately, but the damage was already done, she turned around again and left, this time for good.
It took a whole thirty seconds to Miranda recompose herself. Did Andrea just quit? Just like that? How could she face her like that? How could she say her children feared her? Miranda walked close to Emily's desk which was still horrified of what she had just witnessed.
"Emily, call security, Andrea cannot get into this build anymore. Ever." Miranda said.
"Absolutely Miranda" Emily said as she regained the faculty of speech again.
Miranda was turning around when Emily started to babble.
"And, for the record, Miranda, I do not agree with anything that Andy was saying, not at all." Emily´s cheeks were five shades of red, "I have nothing to do with her craziness."
Miranda snorted, annoyed.
"I love my job..." Emily was cut off by Miranda's standard glare.
"Just call security Emily, That's all!" Miranda´s tone froze the air while she went back to her desk and Emily picked the phone.
-The Next day-
The early morning rays of sunshine crept their way into the large bedroom in the townhouse, surrounding the sleeping form. The grey-haired woman was drooling, holding the Eiderdown goose feather pillow as the French silk sheet and a few other pillows were lying on the floor. The bed was a mess. The rays of sunlight disturbed her sleep making her stir. The smell of lavender on the pillow was making her want to stay a little more in the bed, but the events of the previous night came racing into her mind, making her more awake than ever. How could she have said those things, how could she have been so disrespectful to the person she was falling desperately in love with?
She sat on the king sized bed ready to run to the bathroom. 'Shout', she whispered. Her impressive blue eyes were refusing to open to face the brightness of the day. She was definitely already late. But late for what? She got fired, or better she had quit, and for sure she now was blacklisted in pretty much all of New York, maybe Mexico was the only place where she will find work.
As always, she rose from the bed on automatic pilot, walking to reach the bathroom to start her morning ritual but as soon as she opened her eyes, a wave of shock took hold of her body. Why she was in that bedroom? She remembered having been there once. Why was she wearing that silky camisole? Did she do something stupid? She knew she shouldn't have drunk that cheap wine. She walked over to the huge mirror in the closet and as soon as she looked into those sapphire blue eyes in the mirror:
"OH MY GOD!" she yelled and fainted.
Across the city, another woman had begun to stir, she lazily removed the comforter from her body as she opened her big brown eyes in the darkness of the room. Her thoughts were the same as every day, she was alone again in the bed but another disturbing thought came into her brain, she couldn't stop thinking about Andrea's behavior. How could she do that to her and have such nerves? Andy is no longer her employee nor her friend. In all those months, they had started to spend time together or with the twins and she had actually never stopped thinking about Andy as a friend. She had started to feel pleasant around Andy, their interacting was good, and Andy was great with the twins. She is smart and her intellect is mysteriously attractive, which was impressive considering her age and the way she used to dress.
She sat on the bed circulating her neck for a few minutes. Then, she stood from the bed looking around the room, why was it so dark? She did not remember having shut the blinds. She was feeling strange, her head was killing her, she hadn't felt that horrible since the day she signed the divorce papers of her first marriage and drunk herself to sleep. More strange was feeling the unfamiliar fabric as she touched her body.
She made a few more steps until she found herself in a small living room after almost bumping into a door, where the hell was she? Was she dreaming or in some kind of bizarre twilight zone? She looked at what she was wearing, a dreadful white t-shirt of some university. Messy brown hair falling over her shoulders. She turned back trying to find a place with a mirror and now found herself into a tiny bathroom.
"What the hell is going on?" She asked herself and she waved her hand in front the mirror, refusing to believe what she was seeing with her eyes. She opened the small tap and splashed some water on her face.
"Breathe Miranda, breathe," she repeated.
TBC…