A/N: Tag to "Forever and Always." It's the same scene from Miranda's point of view, inspired by pagesix's lovely review. This definitely isn't what I had in mind when I set out to write this, but my muse refused to cooperate. Hope you enjoy anyway! Unbeta'd, so I apologize for any mistakes.
Disclaimer: I still don't own The Devil Wear's Prada.
Always and Forever
Disillusioned dreams: That's what my first two marriages were full of; broken promises and broken hearts. After Steven, I swore I'd never again let a man covet a position in my life where he felt like he could control me. As I catch my first glimpse of the breathtaking beauty that is my Andrea, I can't help but laugh at the irony; I suppose I kept my promise to myself, after all.
I never in my wildest dreams thought I'd be participating in this wedding foolishness for a third time. Then again, I also could never have imagined I'd be marrying the woman who used to be my assistant, the woman who unknowingly shattered my heart when she left me in Paris three years ago.
Unable to stop the flood of memories that accompany any thought of Paris, I can't help but reflect on the past three years as I watch Andrea approach the altar. I was quick to let her back into my heart when we reconnected. So quick, in fact, that anyone who knows me would have been shocked. I even managed to shock myself. But it had been simpler than I could have ever imagined. The first time I saw Andrea again, it was like coming up for air. It was as though I had been drowning, and she breathed life back into me.
I can't stop the joyous smile that spreads across my face as I remember the first night we reconnected, nor do I want to. Silently thanking my lucky stars, and Nigel's meddlesome behavior, I recall the night that everything came full circle. The first kiss that we shared, as the clock struck midnight on the first of January, was quite possibly the sweetest and most emotional kiss I have ever partaken in. Pulling myself out of my memories, and back into the present, I take in the glorious sight before me.
A vision, that's what she is. An ethereal angel gliding down the aisle toward me, draped in layers of silky white material that have been custom molded to her perfect shape. She is flanked on either side by my daughters, my world. The speed and ferocity with which the girls took to Andrea was a most welcomed surprise. They bonded instantly, becoming fiercely loyal and protective of each other. We have, against all odds, become a family; a family that I would not trade for anything in the world. I suppose what they say is true: the third time really IS the charm.
I can see Andrea's step falter, her knees begin to shake, and I reach out to her as she finally reaches the altar. Knowing instinctively the reassurance that she needs, I mouth the three words that have become our eternal vows to each other:
Forever and Always.
Suddenly, it ceases to matter that I am participating in the sodding circus that a wedding inevitably becomes for the third time, and all I can see is Andrea's glowing face. The joy radiating off of all three of my girls is all I need to survive in this world. No matter where life takes us, no matter the hurdles we will continue to face, one thing will always be certain: We will face them together.
A/N2: As I said, this was definitely not where I was expecting this story to go, but I do hope you all enjoyed! Reviews are, as always, greatly appreciated. Especially the kind ones, they make me feel all warm and fuzzy!