AndreaMiranda Secret Pain

by xXMadameButterflyXx

Andy and Miranda meet again, they get together, but during the fic theres something that bothers Miranda so she questions Andy about it. I dunno, I suck at summary's :/

Secret Pain.

Title: Secret Pain.

Pairing: Andy/Miranda.

Rating: I dunno, M?

Warnings: Mentions of sexual abuse. It ain't that graphic or anything..

Summary: Andy and Miranda meet again, they get together, but during the fic theres something that bothers Miranda so she questions Andy about it. I dunno, I suck at summary's :/

Disclaimer: Characters are not mine. This is just for fun.

Beta: A big thank you to the brilliant "Cerulean Blue" writer [info]mxrolkr for helping me out by Beta-ing this.

Feedback: Definately leave me comments, they make my day.

~*~

They Meet Again.

Two Years After Paris.

Andy got out of work early and stepped outside, the cold air hitting her face. Wrapping her coat more tightly around her she began walking down the block, unconsciously moving towards the Elias-Clarke building. Ever since she started working for The Mirror she had started walking this way. Part of her hoped that she'd be lucky enough to see the older woman she used to work for but so far, she'd had no such luck.

As she neared the Elias-Clarke Publications Building she stopped mid-step and stared at the elegant woman that was walking towards her parked towncar.

There was Miranda Priestly, the fashion goddess of Runway, the woman who continued to invade her dreams two years after she'd stopped working for her. That was a slight lie, she had begun dreaming of her former boss when she started working for her, but they became a constant thing once she left.

The first moment Andy laid her eyes on the older woman she knew she'd fallen for her. She, now two years later, was fully head over heels in love with the Editor and there was nothing she could do about it because there was no way the older woman would ever want to be with her.

As she debated with herself whether or not she should go up to the older woman. Andy watched as the beautiful woman flipped closed her cell, probably after demanding the impossible from one of her assistants, before she looked up and locked eyes with her.

Andy's heart began beating in her chest as they continued to look one another in the eyes. Then, finally Andy took the last few steps that had her standing in front of Miranda Priestly again.

"Miranda, hi, how are you?" she asked and smiled shyly at the older woman.

To say that Miranda was shocked was an understatement. She hadn't been expecting the younger woman to come up to her and least of all strike up a conversation. "Small talk, Andrea? Lovely." Miranda replied but Andy heard the hint of amusement in her voice.

Curious she continued talking to her. "Always a pleasure seeing you, Miranda." Andy grinned at her. She then looked down at the ground, 'it's now or never.' she thought to herself and looked up to ask the older woman out on a date but before she could speak Miranda did. "It's late, would you… do you need a ride?" Miranda asked.

Andy stared into beautiful blue orbs and found herself getting lost in them. "Yes, that would be great, thank you." Andy replied and watched as the older woman turned and slid into the town car.

Andy grinned and quickly got inside the car.

Inside the car was silent as they made their way down the street before Miranda turned to look at the brunette. "I suppose you still live in that god awful neighborhood?" she asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Actually no. An old friend of mine is letting me rent out her apartment." Andy replied before leaning over and giving Roy her new address. She then leaned back and closed her eyes and sighed at the warmth inside the car in appreciation.

Miranda, after having heard Andrea sigh, couldn't help but whimper at the sound. When she realised what she'd let herself do she tensed up and hoped that the woman wouldn't think anything by it.

Andy's eyes snapped open when she heard the small whimper come from beside her. Out of the corner of her eye, she sneaked a look at the older woman and she saw that the Editor was sitting up straighter after letting the little whimper slip from her mouth. She also saw the pink blush that was covering her cheek bones. 'Is she blushing?' Andy thought to herself before shaking her head. 'No, it wouldn't be because of me, it's probably just from the heat of the car. Then she thought about the small whimper she'd heard. 'But what was that whimper for?' she wondered.

Before she was able to ask if Miranda was alright the older woman began speaking. "How is work?" she asked.

Andy turned and looked at the older woman in surprise. 'Is she making small talk?' she asked to herself before she shook her head. "Works going great. I'm really enjoying it." Andy replied and smiled. "How's Runway going?" she then asked.

Miranda sighed. "Dreadful. Irv's been on my back about this month's budget. Emily is too incompetent to be able to hire a new assistant, it just baffles me." Miranda replied and she shook her head.

"That's… unlucky." Andy replied not knowing what else she should say before she let her eyes slip shut again.

"Mhm." Miranda replied and turned to look at the younger woman who was laying back against the seat again with her eye's closed. A small smile appeared on her face and she watched the younger woman.

When Andy felt the older woman's eyes on her she opened one of hers and saw Miranda quickly look away and the blush that crept back onto her face from being caught staring.

Andy was about to say something to Miranda when her phone began ringing from inside her bag. She grabbed her bag which was sitting next to her and she fished out her phone. "Alex." the caller ID read. She looked up from the screen to Miranda and shook her phone. "I'm sorry I should get this." she said and Miranda nodded her head and waved her hand towards the device. "Go ahead." she said before she turned to look out the window. Andy watched the older woman for another second before clicking the accept call button. "Hey." Andy said.

"Andy! Where've you been all day I've been trying to reach you?" The voice on the other end asked.

"I've had my phone off all day so I could finish my articles on time so I could have a week off." Andy replied.

"Well, I was just wondering if you were still coming out with us tonight for drinks?" Alex asked.

"Shit." Andy muttered under her breath, hoping that Miranda hadn't heard her. She'd totally forgotten about drinks tonight with her friends. She really couldn't be bothered. She just wanted to go home and sleep. "I'm not going to be able to. I've still got work to do." she lied. "Plus I forgot about our plans." she added honestly.

"Andy! I reminded you two days ago about tonight!" Alex replied.

"I know and I feel bad but how about we all go out in a couple of days? I've gotta go now but I'll call you sometime tomorrow to arrange a night out, sound good?" she said.

She heard Alex sigh. "Alright, I'll talk to you then." her friend replied before disconnecting the call.

Andy put her phone back in her bag, she felt bad for not going out with her friends but she just couldn't be bothered tonight.

"Everything alright?" Miranda asked the brunette.

Andy looked up at Miranda. "Of course." she replied. How could things not be alright when she was sitting with the woman she was in love with? The car then rolled to a stop. She grabbed her bag. "Thanks so much for the ride Miranda." she said and wasn't sure if she had the courage to ask the older woman to have dinner with her.

It seemed that Miranda had read her mind when she spoke next. "Andrea, would you like to have dinner with me tomorrow night at my townhouse?" she asked.

Andy stared at Miranda for a moment, not exactly sure she'd heard right. Finally finding her voice she nodded, a smile breaking out on her face. "I would love to Miranda!" she replied.

Miranda nodded. "Great. 7pm. Don't be late." she replied.

"I'll see you then. Have a good night Miranda." Andy replied.

Miranda nodded and then when the younger woman was still lingering in her car she wondered what was on Andrea's mind. She got her answer when the younger woman leaned forward and place a soft kiss on her cheek.

Andy breathed in the Editors perfume and sighed softly. She then quickly pulled away, a blush forming on her face. She ran a hand through her hair before looking at Miranda. "I'll um… see you tomorrow!" she said before turning and getting out of the car.

Miranda lifted her hand and touched the area of her cheek where the younger woman had kissed her and she watched as the brunette disappeared inside her apartment building. She couldn't wait to see the younger woman again.

~*~

The first date.

Christmas Eve.

Andy arrived at the Town house at five minutes to seven. Stepping up to the front door she rang the doorbell and waited for it to open.

The front door opened revealing a stunning Miranda Priestly. Andy had to remind herself to breath as she took in the older woman's choice of outfit.

Miranda, seeing Andrea's reaction, smiled to herself, thankful she'd chosen to wear the Gucci dress she'd bought home from Runway earlier that day.

"Come in." Miranda said as she stepped aside for the brunette to enter.

Andy stepped inside, brushing past Miranda which caused her to blush. The older woman took her coat and hung it in the hall closet she was all to familar with before they made their way into the kitchen down the back of the house.

They stepped into the kitchen and saw Rosa, Miranda's cook, placing food on the plates. Rosa carried them into the dining room. Miranda walked in behind her and Andy followed.

They sat down at the dining room table and Andy smiled at Miranda. "This all looks lovely." she said before looking down at the rissotto on her plate.

"Well I do only hire the best." Miranda replied with an amused smile.

Andy looked up at the older woman and saw the amused look on her face and they shared a smile together before they began eating their dinner in comfortable silence.

Once they finished eating they moved into the sitting room and had a glass of wine.

Miranda watched as Andy made herself comfortable on the sofa accross from her and smiled. She enjoyed the other womans company and she hoped they might be able to do this again soon and get to know each other.

Thinking that now would be a great time to start getting to know the brunette she placed her glass on the coffee table in front of her before looking back up at Andy. "How do you usually spend Christmas Eve?" she asked her.

Andy looked up at her, she hadn't been expecting the question. "Oh, I don't usually celebrate the holidays." she replied before taking a sip of her wine.

Miranda frowned. "Why's that?" she asked, hoping she wasn't taking the whole asking questions ting too quickly.

"The truth?" Andy said and when she recieved a nod from Miranda she continued. "Mum's usually too drunk to go out to do anything and ends up falling asleep on the couch so I end up having to spend it upset and alone." Andy said, a blank look on her face.

Miranda wasn't quite sure what to say. It sounded like Andy had had it rough when she was younger. She then found herself thinking that if she could befriend Andy, she'd make next years Christmas a holiday to remember. "I'm really sorry." Miranda softly said.

Andy hadn't been expecting Miranda to say that but shook her head. "There's nothing to be sorry about. All of that is in my past, I've got my future to look forward to." Andy said, all the while looking Miranda directly in the eyes.

In that moment Miranda knew that Andy felt the same way towards her as she felt towards the brunette and she felt all giddy inside at the thought that Andrea Sachs was in love with her.

Andy finished off the rest of her wine before she stood from the sofa. "I should get going, it's pretty late." Andy said as she looked down at the older woman.

With a nod of her head Miranda stood. Even though she didn't want Andy to leave she didn't say anything, opting to take things slowly between them. "I'll call Roy then." she said as she grabbed her phone and flipped it open and dialled her drivers number. "Roy, sorry to disturb you but I need you to drive Andrea home. That's all." she said before flipping her phone closed and putting it down before she walked the younger woman down the hall towards the front door.

They stopped at the closet where Miranda got out Andrea's coat and handed it to her. She watched as the younger woman pulled it on before stepping towards the front door underneath the threshold. "Well, I've had a really great night Miranda. Thank you for having me over." Andy said softly.

Miranda smiled warmly at her love. "It was my pleasure." she replied.

Andy then grinned cheekily as she looked up above them knowing that they were standing under mistletoe. Pointing her finger upwards she watched as Miranda looked up and a blush covered her cheeks. The editor had forgotton the twins had put that up there before they left.

Before she was able to say anything Andy leaned in and captured Miranda's lips with her own. Their kiss was soft and slow and Andy savoured every minute of Miranda's lips against her own.

When they pulled back, both had a smile on her face. "You're so beautiful." Andy whispered to Miranda.

"You're not too bad yourself." Miranda replied with a warm smile on her face.

Andy feigned a hurt expression before she leaned in and kissed Miranda again.

"Come by tomorrow afternoon, the girls would love to meet you again." Miranda said.

Andy smiled. "Okay, I'd really like that." she replied. "Goodnight Miranda." Andy said before turning and stepping outside into the cold air.

"Goodnight Andrea." Miranda said and with that she watched as Andy walked towards Roy who was waiting to take her home.

~*~

Meeting The Twins Again.

The Townhouse door opened and two red heads peered at her before stepping aside to let her enter.

Andy smiled at the young girls before she stepped inside. "Cassidy. Caroline." she said looking at both of them making them know she knew who was who. "It's nice to see you both again." she said as she shrugged off her coat which Cassidy politely took and hung up in the closet.

"Mum's in the kitchen." Caroline said as she began walking towards the back of the house.

Andy nodded before looking at Cassidy who stepped out from the closet with a smile. "Yeah, she's making us pancakes!" the girl said excitedly.

Andy smiled warmly at her. "Sounds fantastic." she replied and grinned at the thought of Miranda cooking pancakes. She followed the red heads down the hall and into the kitchen where she saw Miranda mixing the pancake batter in a bowl before pouring some onto a hot pan.

Miranda put down the bowl and turned to the younger woman. "Hello." she said softly.

"Hey." Andy said with a smile and leaned forward and placed a soft kiss on Miranda's left cheek. "You look lovely." Andy whispered into Miranda's ear as she was pulling away.

Miranda smiled at her before turning back to the pan. "I hope you are in the mood for pancakes." Miranda said.

Andy grinned. "I sure am." she replied.

Once they were made they all went into the dining room and ate, occasionally sharing small conversation.

Caroline looked at Andy studying the woman for a moment. Andy noticed. "Aren't you the one who got us Harry Potter?" she asked.

Andy nodded. That was a day she would never forget, racing around the city trying to get the impossible manuscript, if it hadn't of been for Christian Thompson she doubted she'd be sitting in this room with the Priestly's. "That was me." she replied.

"That is so cool!" Cassidy said. "We loved that book." she added.

"I'm glad." Andy replied. "I read the other copy I had made and enjoyed it as well." the brunette said and they began speaking about Harry Potter.

Caroline shrugged. "I dunno, I think the movies are better." she said.

Cassidy couldn't believe her ears. "No way! The books are way better!" she said. "Besides, the boy who plays Harry isn't that cute." she added, scrunching up her face at the thought of Harry.

"Whatever. Just 'cause you're a nerd and like the books." Caroline replied and was going to continue but stopped when she saw Miranda's warning glance.

Andy then decided to step into the conversation. "I think the books are fairly awesome as well so I guess that makes me a bit of a nerd too." she said and shared a smile with Cassidy. "But I don't think Harry's that cute either." she said with a wink to Cassidy and the young girl laughed.

Miranda smiled as she continued to watch her daughters chat with her Andrea.

~*~

Staying Over.

A Month Later.

Andy looked over at the clock on the mantel and sighed knowing that she had to be up early in the morning for work, meaning that she had to leave Miranda's warm arms. "I should get home." Andy whispered to the older woman.

When Andy started to sit up Miranda pulled her back down into her arms. "Stay the night?" she asked. They had been seeing each other for over a month now and she thought it was about time that she asked the younger woman to stay.

Andy lifted her head from Miranda's chest and looked her in the eyes and hesitated. "I'm not sure that's a good idea." she said and when she saw Miranda's frown she quickly continued. "I just... I've gotta get up really early for work and I'd hate to wake you." she said.

Miranda shook her head. "I wouldn't mind. I just want you to stay." she replied.

Andy was silent for another minute before she nodded her head against Miranda's chest. "Alright then." she replied.

Soon after they made their way up to Miranda's bedroom on the second floor, Miranda headed into her closet to change into her night clothes.

Andy stood in the middle of the room, looking around at everything that screamed Miranda. She then pulled off her top and jeans and was left in her boyshorts she had chosen to wear that morning and her wife beater.

A couple minutes later Miranda walked out from the closet and glanced at Andy and blushed when she saw what the younger woman was wearing. "You can put these on if you like." she said but quickly added. "Not that what you're wearing is unattractive or anything. You look very attractive." she said.

Andy couldn't help but grin at Miranda. She then turned to the bed and walked towards it and pulled back the covers. "Well, we should get some sleep then." she said as she sat down and pulled the sheets over her.

Miranda was a little taken aback as she had been expecting the younger woman to make a move on her so when that didn't happen she didn't know what to expect. Shaking her head she removed the thoughts from her mind and told herself that it was nothing and got her answer from Andy a couple seconds later.

"I hope you don't mind if we just sleep? I'm quite tired." Andy said.

"Of course not." Miranda replied as she got in bed and smiled when Andy snuggled up to her.

"Good. I'd just like to take things slow between us." Andy said as she breathed in Miranda's scent before she closed her eyes. They soon fell asleep.

~*~

The Arrival.

Miranda was in her study when she heard the door bell ring. Standing up she walked down the hall to the front door.

Upon opening the door Miranda gasped at the woman who stood before her. She had long brown hair, pale skin and doe brown eyes. She looked exactly like her Andrea but older.

"Hi." The woman said awkwardly.

~*~

Andrea slipped her key in the door and entered the Townhouse. She clacked her way down the hall in search of her love but stopped short when she saw the older brunette sitting on the couch in the sitting room.

She stared at her mother for several minutes and without even saying anything she walked into the kitchen, dropped her laptop and keys on the bench and went outside for some fresh air. She had not expected her mother to be sitting in her girlfriend's home.

Miranda, having watch her Andrea just walk from the room not even saying hello to her mother, looked at the older woman and saw the sad look in the womans eyes.

"Wait here, I'll talk to her." Miranda said before she walked out of the room towards the back door.

~*~

Miranda stood at the back door and watched as Andy slowly swang on the girls' swing.

Walking over to her love Miranda placed a hand on the brunette's shoulder. "Did you want to talk about it?" Miranda softly asked.

Andy remained silent.

She knew when they had first started seeing each other that Andrea had never been close to her Mother and had left home at a young age because of her Mothers drinking problem, but part of her knew that it was something more then that. She really wanted her love to open up to her but she didn't want to push, so she stood there patiently waiting to see if Andrea would open up to her.

"I seriously cannot believe that the woman has the nerve to just show up like this." Andy shook her head. "I should go in there and find out why she's here." The brunette said as she stood from the swing.

Miranda could hear the anger in her loves voice and grabbed her hand just as she was about to walk away.

Andy turned around and stared at her, waiting for the older woman to speak.

"Are you sure thats a good idea? Maybe you should calm down first." Miranda said.

"No. I'm going in there." Andy replied.

"Alright." Miranda nodded her head and watched as Andy began walking away before she followed after her.

~*~

"What are you doing here?" Andy asked as she came into the sitting room, eyes staring down at the woman sitting on the plush sofa.

The older brunette stood. "I wanted to see you. To try and make things better between us." she said.

Andy studied her mothers face before she shook her head. "It's a bit late for that, don't you think?" she asked. "It's been 2 years since we last saw one another." she added.

Miranda left the room, thinking it best to give the two some time together.

"I know and I'm really sorry about that. I messed up." Janet replied.

"You think?" she shook her head. "I'm sorry, I just don't think I can let you do that to me again." Andy replied.

Janet nodded her head, understanding that her daughter needed some time to wrap her head around her unannounced arrival. "I understand. I'll give you some time to think and I'll come back tomorrow so we can talk." she said as she grabbed her hand bag before looking back at her daughter. "Just so you know, I haven't touched a drop of alcohol in over 2 months." she said.

At this Andy looked up and studied her mothers face to see if she could believe what she had just heard. Seeing the honest look in her mothers eyes she nodded her head. "I'm glad to hear it. That stuff never did you any good." Andy replied before she looked at the clock on the mantel and she sighed. "Look, it's late, why don't you just stay in the guest bedroom. I doubt you have anywhere else to go, do you?" she asked raising an eyebrow.

"I've got a couple of friends down on the lower east side, I'm sure they'd let me stay there, I really don't want to intrude on you here." Janet replied.

"Just stay here the night, it's too late to be catching the subway down to that end of town." she said before she left the room without another word and began walking down the hall. She poked her head into Miranda's study. "I told here to stay the night in the guest bedroom downstairs, do you mind?" she asked.

"Not at all." Miranda replied and stood. "I'll have Rosa fix up the room." she added.

"Thank you so much. You're amazing." Andy said with a smile on her face and she gazed in Miranda's eyes. "I'm going to go upstairs. I need to take some time to wrap my head around my mother being in my life again. God knows what she wants." she said before she walked down the hall towards the staircase.

~*~

A Week Later.

A Runway Benefit Party.

Andy looked up from where she was sitting in the kitchen when her mother walked in the room along with Miranda. She took in the Chanel dressed that her mother was wearing and smiled, she always did look amazing when she dressed up. "You look great Mum." Andy said, a smile on her face.

Her mother smiled at her. "It's a lot different than what I'm used to but I like it." Janet replied.

While her mother went to go freshen up before they left, Andy turned to her love and her smile grew bigger as she stepped closer to her. "And you my love, look absolutely stunning." Andy said and leaned in and kissed her softly.

"You look stunning yourself." Miranda whispered back to her Andrea.

~*~

They arrived at the party late, as MIranda usually did. Miranda walked around and greeted everyone with her fake smile firmly in place before she found Andrea and walked over to her.

"So this is going great." Andy said when she came to stand next to her love.

Miranda turned to her and smiled a genuine smile. "It is. I'm so glad you decided to come tonight." she said and laid her hand on the small of Andrea's back.

"I'm glad I did too." Andy said before turning and her eye's landed on her mother who was currently chatting to some guy. "Seems like Mum's having an alright time as well." she said.

Miranda nodded. "Looks like it." she said.

When Andrea left Miranda's side to go talk to Emily and Serena, Miranda found her eye's watching Janet as she grabbed a flute of champagne from one of the passing waiters and she took a few large sips of the liquid. Hoping that it would be her only drink for the night she turned her eyes and began chatting with a new upcoming designer that she was interested in showing in Runway.

~*~

A loud crashing brough everyones attention to the centre of the room. Miranda turned her eyes to see a waiter on the floor having been knocked over by a drunk Janet who was on the floor next to him.

"Oh god, watch where you're bloody going next time, geez!" Janet said as she glared at the waiter.

Andy, having seen what had happened stared at her mother. She shook her head at the scene that was playing out in front of her. She knew to expect something like this, it always happened.

"What, are you just going to stand there and watch and not help?" Janet asked as she eyed some of the rich snobs standing in front of her before her head turned and her eye's locked with Andy's. "Andy baby, help me up would you?" she asked.

Andy along with Emily helped her mother up and they began walking her towards the door whilst Miranda assured everyone else that everything was fine and for the party to continue.

"I've messed up again, haven't I?" Janet said as she hung her head in shame. "I'm so sorry Andy." she said as she looked at her daughter who was refusing to look her in the eyes.

~*~

They got back to the Townhouse and Janet fell down on one of the sofas in the sitting room. "Andy…" she tried but Andy held up her hand for the woman to stop talking as she began pacing in front of her.

"I want you out of this house." Andy said, her eye's glaring at Janet. "All my life all you have done has caused me pain and I don't need that anymore." she said before she stopped pacing. "I've made a life for myself here and I do not need you coming here and ruining that for me!" she was feeling the anger she'd kept in during the car ride home, boiling up inside of her, ready to come out but she wasn't going to allow that to happen. "I'm going upstairs and when I wake up in the morning I want you to have left." Andy said before leaving without another word from either of them.

~*~

Andy woke up the next morning and went down stairs and found the girls and Miranda already seated at the breakfast table. "Morning." she said, glad to see that her mother had listened to her and left. She didn't need to deal with her.

The twins mumbled a reply to her still half asleep and not wanting to go to school.

Miranda looked up from the news paper she was reading and smiled at her. "Good morning darling." she said before she looked back down at the paper, she knew Andy wouldn't be in a good mood for much longer when she found out that her mother was still in the house.

Andy kissed Miranda's cheek before she sat down at the table in her usual spot and just as she was about to begin to eat her cereal she looked up, and her mother entered the room. "What the…?? I thought I told you to leave!" she began but saw her mother hold up her hand.

"Andy, I'm only here still because I just wanted to apologise for last night." she said and continued. "I know I messed up again and that you may not forgive me like you have all the other times but if you do and want to talk I'm staying at a friends on the lower east side. I'll leave the address on the table in the hallway." Then she turned to look at Miranda. "Thank you for letting me say." she said with a small smile. "You have a lovely home and family." she added before glancing at Andy one last time then left the room.

Andy jumped up from the table and went into the hallway just as the older brunette had reached the door. "Mum, wait." Andy said.

Janet turned and looked at her daughter and waited for her to speak. "Stay for a while. We'll try and work things out." Andy said, wondering why she was giving the woman another chance.

Janet nodded, she didn't know what to say. She was surprised her daughter was giving another chance. "I won't let you down again babe." she said and hugged Andy.

~*~

Later That Afternoon.

Andy padded into the lounge holding a mug with hot steaming chicken soup in it. Perfect for the cold wintery night. Wandering over to the sofa she sat and glanced down at the boxes on the coffee table that she had found in the back of her wardrobe in her apartment.

After taking a sip of the soup, she placed the mug on the coffee table before lifting the lid off of the box and smiled when she saw scattered photo's inside. She had forgoten entirely that she had brought them with her when she moved to New York.

The first several photos were of her and her best friends Lily, Alex and Nate from when they had gone back-packing around Europe, just after they had graduated from college. There were pictures of them in front of the Eifel Tower and nights out they shared with the random friends they'd made. Most of the pictures Andy had were from when they were in Scotland. That had been her favorite place of their trip and she hoped she'd be able to go back there someday with Miranda.

Picking out one of the photo's she liked from Scotland, she set them aside before going back through the box again. Before she knew it it was seven o'clock and knew that Miranda would be home from work soon. With that thought and a smile on her face she picked up some of the pictures she had put aside and began putting them back in the box before she froze, looking upon an old photograph that was hiding underneath the pile.

Picking up the picture she stared at it in disgust, anger rising in her stomach. Putting the photo back in and shoving the lid on the box she grabbed it and stood abruptly.

Walking into the girls' den she looked at Cassidy and Caroline. "Girls." she said, bringing their attention away from whatever they were currently watching on the flat screen TV. "Tell your Mother that I won't be staying for dinner. I'll be staying the night in my apartment." Before they were able to reply she was out the door.

~*~

Miranda slipped her key in the door, unlocked it and entered the townhouse. Closing the door behind her she kicked off her heels and hung her coat up in the hallway closet before she made her way towards the back of the house, stopping when she heard two pairs of feet coming down the staircase.

Looking up she smiled when her daughters greeted her with hugs and kisses to her cheeks.

"Hello my darlings." she said to them before looking up the staircase expecting to see Andrea coming down and when she saw no sign of the brunette she frowned. "Where's Andrea?" Miranda asked knowing that the brunette should be home from work by now and usually always had dinner with them.

Both girls looked at one another seeming to have a silent conversation with one another before Caroline turned to Miranda and finally spoke. "Andy just left a few minutes ago." Caroline said and Cassidy continued. "She said she wouldn't be staying for dinner and would be at her apartment for the rest of the night." Cassidy said.

Miranda nodded down at her daughters. "Thank you darlings." she said just as Rosa, their cook, walked out from the kitchen. "Dinners ready Miranda." The older woman said with a smile.

"Thank you Rosa." Miranda said and the woman left.

The editor followed her daughters into the dining room where they sat down and began eating their dinner. She looked over at the spot where Andrea always sat and she wondered what had happened that made her need to leave for the night.

Thinking that she should call the younger woman she excused herself from the table and walked into her study where she grabbed her cell out of her pocket and pressed her speed dial for Andrea.

It rang until the call went to Andrea's voice mail, the older woman listened to her bright voice saying to whoever may be calling to leave her a message and she'd get back to them as soon as possible. She disconnected the call and tried again but with no luck.

Sighing Miranda slipped her phone back into her pocket and made her way back into the dining room where her girls were finishing their dinner.

Sitting down at the head of the table she began finishing hers, her thoughts straying to Andrea and what may be wrong. She decided that when Emily came with The Book that evening she'd have the English woman stay, to be there if her girls were to wake up, so she could go to her loves apartment to see what was going on.

After they ate dinner the three of them went into the girls' den where they watched an episode of Ugly Betty.

Not long after the show finished she heard Emily enter the townhouse with The Book and her dry cleaning. Walking down the hall, her heels clacking on the floor boards, she stopped in front of the English woman who was now looking up at her.

"Emily, I'm going to need you to stay here while I'm out, to look after the girls." she informed her assistant.

"Yes Miranda." Emily replied as she watched the editor put on her coat.

Miranda said a soft thank you to Emily before leaving and slipping inside her towncar. "Andrea's apartment Roy." she told her driver who nodded at her and pulled the car out onto the street.

~*~

Earlier that Night.

Andy pushed open her apartment door, kicked off her boots and threw the box, her keys and cell on the counter top when she reached the kitchen and then opened up the fridge. Pulling out a frozen dinner she still had in there, she stuck it in the microwave and heated it up.

In her bedroom she took off the dress she was wearing and pulled on a pair of sweat pants, a tank top and her North Western hoodie. She then walked back out into the kitchen and grabbed her dinner, easy mac, from the microwave and went over to the couch and sank down on it. She turned on the TV and flicked around channels. She sighed when there was nothing worth her while to watch and at this moment wished she hadn't disconnected HBO.

Continuing to eat her dinner she listened to the crap they were showing on TV and she briefly wondered what the Priestly women were having for dinner.

With another deep sigh she stood from the couch and threw the remaining mac and cheese in the trash can before she walked over to the box which contained the photographs. Grabbing the box and a packet of matches she walked out of her apartment and down into the alley which was next to her apartment building, thankful that there was no one there at the time.

Walking over to one of the large dumpsters, she placed the box on the edge of it. Pulling out the matches from her pocket she lit one of the matches and dropped it into the bin and watched the flames grow.

Looking back down at the box she lifted the lid. She stared down at the old photograph that lay on top of the rest before picking it up. She stared at it for another minute before dropping it into the flames and watched as it burned.

She stood there in the alley way for several minutes just watching the flames where the photograph had disappeared before she turned. As she made her way back up to her apartment she briefly wondered whether or not she should have put out the flames but then thought that it shouldn't matter. She knew the homeless did it all the time to keep warm plus it would no doubt start raining soon.

~*~

Miranda exited her towncar and entered Andrea's building. Stepping into the elevator she pressed the third floor button and waited for it to take her up.

Stepping out she walked down to Andrea's door, rapped her knuckles on it a couple times and waited for Andrea answer.

Andy, who had been sitting down on the couch half watching TV and half playing a game of solitaire on her laptop, looked up at the door and knew who it would be on the other side. Placing her laptop next to her she stood and walked over to the door. Looking through the peep hole she saw who she suspected to see; Miranda.

The door opened and Andrea silently stepped aside letting the Editor enter.

"Hello." Miranda softly said to her love as she stepped in front of her and placed a kiss on her cheek. She searched the brunettes face for any sign that she could be upset and upon seeing nothing that gave away why she had left the townhouse earlier that night she took off her coat and made to sit down on the couch.

"Hey..." Andy said as she watched as the older woman make herself comfortable on her couch and with a small smile she sat down next to Miranda.

They looked at one another before Miranda spoke. "Did you want to tell me why you left earlier without telling me?" Miranda asked.

"Oh." Andy sighed and shook her head. "I had the most silly fight with Lily over the phone and it just really upset me. I just had to get out of there for a while and take some time out alone." she lied but, for now, knew that it was for the best. "I'm sorry that I didn't let you know that I wouldn't be staying. Forgive me?" Andy asked.

Miranda nodded her head. "I do." she replied and held out her arms for Andy to snuggle up next to her.

When Andrea was snuggled up against her, Miranda let out a sigh of relief. She was glad that she hadn't been the one to somehow upset her Andrea. She wouldn't be able to live with herself if she did anything to hurt her. Softly kissing Andrea's temple she began talking again. "You know you can always talk to me about anything when you need to. I would have been there for you earlier." she said.

"Oh Miranda. I know that I can talk to you whenever I need to!" Andrea said as she lifted her head from the older woman's warm chest and looked her lovingly in the eyes. "I do know that." Andy whispered as tears began welling up in her eyes, everything that had happened earlier that night only just affecting her now.

Not wanting Miranda to see her tears she rested her head back down on Miranda's chest and let her tears silently fall as she listened to Miranda's steady heartbeat.

~*~

~*~

The Big Reveal.

Miranda sat in her study. She was currently going over The Book so she'd be able to give it to Emily in the morning when she arrived at the office but her mind kept straying to thoughts of her Andrea.

Looking at the photo she had of herself and her love on her desk a small smile formed itself on her face. She and Andrea had been together for a few months now but there was something about their relationship that Miranda didn't understand but wanted to; they had never made love.

There had been many times when they could have but Andrea had shrugged the idea away and said that they should wait, take things slowly because she didn't want to mess up the relationship but Miranda didn't buy it for a second.

Several times the older woman wondered if it was because of her. She knew she was ageing and didn't have a great body anymore and at first she didn't think that this fact bothered Andrea, but now months after those encounters, where Andy had shrugged off the idea of making love, she thought that it may be the reason why.

Sighing, she closed The Book and pushed it aside. Rubbing her eye's tiredly she glanced at the clock and saw it was a quarter to twelve. She knew that they wouldn't be able to speak tonight, Andrea would be up in the bedroom they shared sleeping by now but she was definately going to bring up the subject tomorrow evening.

Rising from her desk she turned off the lights and after checking that the front and back door were locked and her girls were asleep in their rooms she moved into the master bedroom on the second floor. Glancing at her sleeping beauty she smiled. Just by the way Andrea alway's looked at her and how they always said they loved each other Miranda knew that her taking things slowly wasn't because of her age and the way she looked, but because there was something else that Andrea was keeping from her.

With a shake of her head Miranda wandered into the bathroom and showered before sliding into bed and wrapped her arms securely around her loves body and soon fell asleep.

~*~

Andy got up at six and went for her morning run. When she came back she prepared breakfast for the Priestly women.

Miranda came down not long after she finished the chocolate chip pancakes. "Good morning!" Andy said brightly to her with a smile on her face. Padding bare foot over to her love she placed a soft kiss on her lips. "I hope you're in the mood for pancakes!" Andy said over her shoulder when she turned back to the plate of food.

"It smells lovely." Miranda replied. She took her usual spot at the breakfast table and looked up at the younger woman who placed a plate in front of her. Lifting her hand Miranda ran her thumb down Andy's cheek and the brunette leaned into her touch. "You're so beautiful." Miranda whispered to her.

Andy turned brown doe eye's to her and blushed. "No, you're the beautiful one." she replied and kissed Miranda soundly before pulling away just as the girls entered the room. "Hey sleepy heads." she said to them with a grin. "Hope you're in the mood for pancakes!"

Both red heads looked up at her at the mention of pancakes before racing to the table and began digging into their breakfast.

Both women grinned at the girls. Ever since Andy made her famous chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast the first morning she'd spent with the Priestly women the twins always nagged her to make them every now and then.

Miranda picked up her fork and took a bite out of hers. She didn't alway's eat Andrea's pancakes but sometimes when her love made them she would indulge in one of the fluffy cakes.

Andy placed a coffee mug in front of Miranda. "Scalding hot. Just how you like it." she said with a grin.

"Thank you darling." Miranda replied before reaching over for the mug and taking a sip. "Mmm, perfect." she said and they continued eating breakfast in relative silence.

~*~

Closing down her laptop Miranda walked out of her office and looked over at her assistant. "Emily. I'm leaving for the night. Don't bother bringing me The Book tonight I'll go over it in the morning when I arrive. Fetch me my coat and bag. That's all." Miranda said as she made her way towards the elevators leaving a frantic Emily to quickly get the editors belongings.

Reaching the elevators Miranda accepted her coat and bag from Emily before stepping inside an empty elevator and making her way down to the lobby and getting into her car.

When she arrived at the Townhouse she found Andrea and the girls in their den on the third floor watching a movie which she noticed was one of the twins' favourites "High School Musical" and she briefly wondered how many times they had watched it.

Realising that she and the girls weren't the only one's in the room, Andy lifted her head from the tv screen and smiled when she saw Miranda leaning on the door frame. "Hey." Andy softly said, her voice causing the girls to look up and upon seeing their mother they squealed in surprise as they hadn't expected her to be home this early. "You're early!" they both said.

"I am." Miranda replied and hugged them both.

Andy gave the girls a moment with their mother before padding over to Miranda and placed a soft kiss on her loves cheek. "Welcome home." she said softly.

Miranda smiled at her in reply before she looked down at the girls. "I think it's time that you both went to bed, don't you?" Miranda asked.

They both frowned not wanting to go to bed just yet, they wanted to spend more time with their Mother and Andy.

"Fine." Caroline reluctantly said before both girls began to slowly walk out of the room.

Cassidy stopped when she walked through the door way and looked over her shoulder. "Will you tuck me in?" she asked Andy.

Andy smiled at her. "Of course I will. I'll be up in a minute." the brunette replied and watched as the two girls walked away. Turning back to Miranda she smiled. "How'd you get home so early?" she questioned.

"I managed to get most of my work done earlier." Miranda replied and embraced her.

"Well good, I'm glad you're home. I miss you whenever you're not around." Andy said before pulling back and placing a kiss on Miranda's lips. "We should tuck in the girls." she said before grabbing Miranda's hand in hers and they began walking hand in hand up to the third floor.

~*~

After tucking in the girls they made their way into the master bedroom. Andy wet into the bathroom and showered as Miranda sat in the bedroom thinking about how she would broach the subject about Andy's reluctance to make love. She didn't want to upset her.

Looking up she smiled when Andy came padding out wrapped in a towel while she hand dried her hair with another towel and watched as she dissapeared in the closet to get dressed into her night clothes.

When the brunette came back out into the main room she dumped her clothes in the laundry basket before she wandered over to the king size bed and sat down on her side.

After a few silent minutes Miranda turned around and looked at her love who was setting her alarm clock. Sensing her loves eye's on her, Andy glanced up and saw her looking at her. "What is it?" Andy asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I was hoping that we could talk about something." Miranda replied.

Curious, Andrea sat up and folded her legs in front of her. "Sure. What is it?" Andy asked.

Miranda really hoped that she wasn't about to upset the brunette. Andrea seemed to be in good sprits tonight, but then wasn't she always? Miranda smiled at this but she still didn't want to upset her. "It's about.." Miranda sighed and just decided to finally put it out there. "We've never made love before." there, she said.

Andy sat there silent for a few seconds. She had known they were going to have to talk about this subject sooner or later and she had been hoping for the later. She wasn't exactly sure on what to say so she remained silent as she thought of a reply.

When Andrea didn't reply Miranda worried that she had upset her. "Andrea, if you don't want to speak about this, it's fine, it can wait." she replied.

She knew that she could alway's tell Miranda that she didn't want to speak about this right now and that could they please just go to sleep and maybe talk about it another time but then Andy knew that she was just avoiding the topic. So deciding that they would, no needed, to talk about this she decided she'd be honest. "No, this is something that we need to talk about." Whether I like it or not, Andy thought to herself but she owed Miranda an explanation.

Miranda nodded and listened as she continued. "What I'm about to tell you… It's something that I've been hiding for most of my life. I've never said it out loud before because it's just too hard for me to even think about." she said and could feel her heart pounding faster in her chest and her mouth go dry. Licking her lips she continued. "But now, now I think it's time that I be honest with you and explain it to you." Andy said.

Miranda sat silently as she waited for her love to continue. She wondered what it was that could be so difficult for the younger woman to speak about. Various scenarios played out in her mind, some that she had thought of before but had always disregarded instantly.

"I have wanted to fully open up to you about it before but I just… I couldn't bring myself to do it. It's easier to just push it back into the back of my mind. I just, I felt so ashamed." Andy said as she bowed her head and fiddled with her hands in her lap. "I think that if my Mother hadn't been such a pathetic drunk and actually looked out for me then my Grandfather wouldn't have…" she trailed off as the tears she had been keeping at bay slid down her cheeks.

Miranda covered her hand with her mouth in shock. Sexual abuse had been one of the scenarious that she had thought of but had always disregarded it, so to actually hear it being said out loud by her love, it was quite shocking.

"I hate my Grandfather so much." Andy choked out through her silent sobs.

They sat silently for a few seconds and when Miranda was about to lay a hand on her loves shoulder and speak Andrea began speaking again. "You know, sometimes I wish that he was still alive so I could just… so I could make him pay for what he did to me." Andy said as more tears trailed down her face. She then raised her head and looked Miranda directly in the eyes and saw that she too had tears trailing down her cheeks. "Do you think that I'm… messed up?" Andy whispered.

Miranda shook her head. "If that had happened to me I would feel exactly the same way." Miranda softly replied before pulling Andrea into her arms.

"Now that my Mum's just shown up out of the blue saying that she wants to make things better between us I… I just don't know what to do Miranda." Andy replied before lifting her head from the older woman's shoulder and looked her love in the eyes.

Miranda rested her forehead against her loves temple and took the brunettes hand in hers and laced their fingers together. More tears trailed down her cheeks as sobs racked her loves body and she just held her close and running her hand through gorgeous brown hair and whispered soothing words into Andy's ear trying to calm her down.

When her love seemed to have stopped sobbing and only had a few tears running down her cheeks and was hipcupping slightly, she moved her hand from where it had been resting against Andrea's neck and pressed her lips against her loves forehead and kissed her softly before raising her free hand to wipe away the tears from Andrea's cheek with her thumb.

"We will get through this together. I love you so, so much and I'm alway's going to be here for you." Miranda said, reassuring her younger love as she looked her deeply in the eyes.

More tears slid down Andrea's cheeks but a small smile appeared on her face and she slowly nodded her head thankful that she had Miranda with her to get through this.

Pulling Andy closer to her again, they sat silently on their bed for a while before Miranda laid them down on the bed, gently disentangling herself from the brunette to pull the blankets over them. "I love you." Andy whispered to her.

"I love you too." Miranda replied before she heard her loves steady breathing, telling Miranda that she had fallen asleep.

Closing her eyes, the older woman thought about what Andrea had just told her. It had been quite a shocking revelation, something she wished that had never happened to her love and she hated the thought of Andrea suffering in any kind of pain.

Shaking her head from these thoughts she held Andrea closer. She was safe and with her and that was all that really mattered right now, the rest they would deal with later.

The editor fell asleep in her brown eyed beauty's arms knowing that whatever was to happen in the next coming weeks they would get through it together.

~*~

Janet opened her eye's when she sensed she wasn't alone in the room. Looking up she saw Andrea standing in the door way.

Andy, who had been sitting in her study working on an article, couldn't seem to concentrate because she knew it was time to confront her mother about what had happened in the past. Saving her word document she stood and made her way downstairs to the room her mother was staying in and now standing in the door way she stared at her mother.

Stepping towards the older woman Andy pointed her finger at her. "You knew. You always knew." Andy said as she stopped near the foot of the bed.

"What are you talking about?" Janet asked her.

The young brunette shook her head. "You know what I'm talking about." Andy said and continued. "How can you live with yourself knowing that he did that to me?" she asked her, feeling sick to her stomach thinking about it.

"Do what? What are you talking about?" Janet asked staring at her daughter.

"You know exactly what I am talking about!" Andy shouted, her voice sounding rougher than usual. "Grandad." she then spat out.

Janet stood from the bed and stepped in front of Andy. "Don't you even think about bringing your Granfather down in front of me." Janet said.

"You never would have listened if I had! But I am now and I'm not going to back down." Andy said.

"You've got no repsect for me or your family so don't think I'm going to stand here listening to you disrespect what your Grandfather did for his country!" Janet said.

"That is fucking bullshit Mum! He wasn't a hero! He was a dirty old man!" Andy screamed at her.

"You shut your filthy mouth right now!" Her mother yelled back at her.

"Why didn't you stop him?" Andy yelled. "You knew?" Andy said as tears slid down her cheeks. " You knew didn't you? And you let it happen!"

"He was a good man. He risked his life for the country." Janet said, not wanting to have this conversation.

"Yeah, exactly. That's all you care about! The war! You went down to the bar and you left him with me! Because all you cared about was the fact that your Father won a few medals in some stupid war that no one even wanted." Andy screamed.

"That's enough." Janet said firmly.

"No Mum! It's not enough!" Andy yelled not finished yet. "And I won't stop until you tell me why you did it?" Andy asked, eyes staring at the woman in front of her.

"I did nothing." Janet replied.

"That's right! You did NOTHING! You let him come into my room at night and you did nothing to stop it!" Andy screamed, pointing at her Mother.

"Don't you dare say that!" Janet yelled and moved in on Andy.

"You let him touch me and you didn't do a single thing about it!" Andy yelled, tears streaming down her face.

Just as Janet was about to push Andy violently against the wall Miranda walked into the room deciding that enough had been said and done for the night.

"Janet, I think it's time that you left." Miranda said firmly.

Andy looked at her love and then back at her Mother. "Yeah, I think that's a great idea. Take the weak bitch away from me!" Andy said, still fuming.

Miranda followed Janet down the hall and opened up the front door.

Janet stepped outside and turned around. "Miranda-" she began but Miranda stopped her from talking by putting up her hand. "No, that's all." she said before closing the door in the woman's face.

Turning Miranda made her way back downstairs where she found her love sitting on the couch, hugging her knee's against her chest as sobs racked through her body from all of the pain that she'd always kept to herself, pushed far back in her mind, finally surfaced.

Miranda sat down on the couch and pulled the younger woman into her arms and held her. "Let it all out." Miranda whispered as she kissed the top of Andrea's head feeling tears pricking her own eyes but she kept them at bay because she knew she had to be strong for her Andrea right now.

~*~

The Next Morning.

Runway: Miranda's Office.

Emily looked up, fingers still typing on the keyboard, stopped when she took in the woman before her. "Can I help you?" Emily asked quickly covering her shock look with a bored one.

"I was hoping I may be able to speak with Miranda?" Janet asked as she looked through the glass doors into Miranda's office.

"She's extremely busy and has a meeting soon. You'll have to come back another time." Emily said as she looked at the woman before her.

"I really need to speak to her." Janet tried again.

Emily sighed and stood from her desk chair, rounded her table and went through the glass doors into Miranda's office. "Miranda, Andy's mother is here wanting to speak to you." Emily informed the editor.

Miranda looked up from her notes. "Send her in." she said before looking back down.

Emily walked back out to the older brunette. "You may see her. Make it quick." Emily said before sitting down at her desk.

Janet entered Miranda's office, stopping in front of the desk.

Miranda looked up and raised her eyebrow at the other woman. "Is there something you want?" she asked in a bored tone.

Janet quickly nodded. "Yes, I need to speak to you… to explain some things." she said.

Miranda nodded and when the other woman didn't begin to speak she sighed. "By all means move at a glacial pace." she said irratated now.

"I was so young when my father went over to Vietnam. My brothers and I thought he was a hero. I thought he was this big strong man who could do anything he wanted." Janet began. "When he came back from the war he never really talked much about what had happened but he changed, he'd fly off the handle at anything, you never knew what was going to set him off." she said.

Miranda nodded. "That's something a lot of Vietnam soldiers would have been through." she replied.

"Yes but at least people can talk about it now but back then we just had to cope on our own and my mother, well she, she never wanted anyone to know that we were having it so tough." Janet said and took a moment to think. "He was just so very hard. Nothing we did was ever good enough for him. But whatever else you think about him he was a good man, he was always there for me when things went wrong. And when I really needed help with the girls he moved in with us. Anyway not long after that Andrea's older sister Rachel, she started to play up… she said things about Dad and they didn't make much sense to me at the time." Janet said.

"Andrea told me that Rachel left home a couple years before she left herself." Miranda said.

"Yes, against my wishes. I'd made a total mess of it all with her and I told myself that I was going to do it right with Andrea and well, for a while we were okay, things were going alright, but then she started going off the rails as well, acting out, just like her sister." she said.

"And did you ever talk to her about what was happening? What she was feeling?" Miranda asked.

"We never, and still don't, talk much about our feelings in our family. Maybe that's why Dad thought he could…" she swallowed hard. "Maybe that's why he thought he could…" she trailed off not finishing the sentence. "One afternoon I… I walked in on him with Andrea, they were in her bedroom and well Dad… he was… I just told myself that I was wrong that he was just comforting her, that it was innocent, I mean Andrea would have said something if it wasn't, right?" she said looking at Miranda tears welling up in her eye's.

Miranda stared at the woman in front of her a blank look still firmly on her face. "What did you do then?" she asked, hoping that the emotions she was feeling wouldn't show in her voice.

"I made sure that Dad and Andrea were never left alone in the same room again and then just a few months later Dad died." Janet replied.

Miranda shook her head. "You never confronted him about what he did?" she asked.

"Well how could I?" Janet began. "What if I had been wrong. My Father was a war hero!" she said. "But then I started to remember all of the other times that Dad had been close to Andrea and her sister, just moments that seemed innocent." Miranda closed her eyes and felt anger rising up in her stomach for this woman in front of her for not doing anything about it. "And maybe I had just turned a blind eye! I didn't know for sure but you see you just don't ever imagine that…" she trailed off when she saw the look on Miranda's face. "It's okay I know what you're thinking." she said.

Miranda looked up at her and shook her head knowing she should have hidden her emotions better and when she was about to speak Janet continued. "I know that I was weak. It was just so much easier for me to pretend that it wasn't happening." The brunette said.

"Neither of them confronted you about the abuse until last night with Andrea?" Miranda asked.

"Rachel told me the night before I left and I wasn't sure what to say or think but last night was the first time Andrea said it aloud to me." Janet said remembering how angry and upset her daughter had been. "She was so angry and you know everything she said was exactly right, it's so true, I should have protected her, I should have had the guts to stand up to my Father. I wanted it all to just go away, I just wanted Rachel and Andrea to forget." she said.

"Kids never forget something like that. It's the guilt and shame and the sense that they were the ones that did something wrong that keeps them silent. Now I know that you want to help Andrea but the only way you're going to be able to do that is to break that silence." Miranda replied. "Are you ready to do that?" Miranda asked her.

~*~

Their First Time.

A Couple Nights Later.

Miranda stepped inside the master bedroom on the second floor, turned and softly closed the door behind her mindful that Andrea was most likely asleep in their bed.

The older woman hadn't seen the bedside light was turned on. Turning around she stopped her movements when she saw Andy laying on the bed in nothing but lingerie.

Andy grinned at Miranda and stood up from the bed. She stepped into Miranda's personal space and stared into Miranda's eyes. The older woman saw her loves lust and hunger in just one look.

Andy trailed a finger down Miranda's cheek and leaned in close to Miranda's ear. "I want you, so badly." she whispered and it sent a shiver through Miranda's body. Andy then captured Miranda's lips with her own and kissed her deeply, conveying all of the emotions she was feeling into the kiss they were sharing.

The young brunette turned them around so Miranda's back was facing the king sized bed. She slowly began unbuttoning Miranda's white blouse. Slowly she pushed it off the older woman's shoulders before taking off the thin shirt underneath and began dropping kisses on the smooth skin she uncovered. "I've been waiting for you all evening." Andy whispered before she bought their lips together again.

Miranda moaned into the kiss, her hands trailed down Andy's toned back towards the laced panties her love was wearing.

Andy pushed Miranda's hands away when they reached her panties, she didn't want release just yet, she wanted to make love to her Miranda.

Kissing her love again Andy began unzipping and then pulling down Miranda's skirt. The clothing dropped to the floor and Miranda stepped out from them and they stared at one another in the eye's. Andy reached around and unhooked Miranda's bra before devouring Miranda's right breast with her mouth.

Miranda moaned softly when she felt her loves mouth on her breast.

Andy then moved to Miranda's left breast giving it the same amount of attention before she pushed Miranda back onto the bed. Crawling up Miranda's body on the bed and began kissing her.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Miranda asked as she looked into Andrea's eyes.

"Yes, I want this." Andy replied and captured Miranda's lips with her own again before she kissed her way down Miranda's neck and down her lovers toned stomach towards the panties she was wearing.

Pulling the black lace panties down Miranda's legs, she threw them behind her before she kissed Miranda's thigh then swiped her tongue through her lovers wet folds making the older woman cry out.

The first swipe of her lovers tongue was enough to send her over the edge. She had been wanting this for so long now, that now it was finally happening it didn't take her long to come with a low moan.

Andrea didn't stop there though, she merely slid two fingers inside Miranda's wet core and moved them in and out in a fast pace. When she felt Miranda clenching around her fingers she leaned down and flicked her tongue over her clit, bringing her beautiful Miranda to her climax again.

Miranda was now a quivering mess, she felt Andrea slide her fingers out of her and she gasped before the younger woman began kissing her way up her stomach and began kissing her again. She responded and kissed her lover back. Her hand made it's way down Andrea's body and she stopped just before she reached Andrea's panties. When she recieved a nod for her to continue she slipped her hand inside the brunettes panties. She found that Andrea was soaking wet like she was just moments before, and easily slid two fingers inside her lover and soon bought her to a quick climax.

Andy collapsed on the bed next to Miranda and they silently held one another as they got their breathing under control.

Andy looked up, resting her chin on her palm as she watched her lover with a satisfied grin on her face. "Not to ruin the mood or anything but I'm quite confused as to why it took me forever to make love to someone, I didn't even think of the bastard." Andy said.

Miranda held Andrea closer to her, a small smile on her face. "You didn't ruin the mood. I want you to be able to tell me anything." Miranda said softly.

Andy nodded. "From now on that is what I'm going to do." she said and smiled down at Miranda and kissed Miranda deeply. "Thank you so much for being here for me and waiting for me to be ready to make love to you. You're so amazing to do that. I really am lucky to have you Miranda Priestly. You're so beautiful and I love you so much." she whispered, tears prickling her eyes, threatening to fall any minute.

Miranda smiled and wiped the tears from underneath Andrea's eyes with her thumb softly. "My Andrea. For you I would do anything. You mean so much to me. Waiting for you to be ready to make love was nothing. I am very much in love with you Andrea Sachs more then you'll ever know." Miranda said before Andy captured her lips in a passionate kiss and again they made love.

~*~

Priestly Townhouse.

Three Weeks Later.

Andy was in her lovers study working on an article while the older woman was going over The Book. She put her laptop beside her and stood up just as her cell began to ring. "Can you get that for me? I need to pee." she said before she left the room.

Picking up her lovers cell phone she accepted the unkown caller. "Hello?" she asked.

She listened to the person on the other end of the phone and sighed before hanging up. Standing she closed The Book and walked towards the bathroom. "That was the hospital. Your mothers been in a car accident." she informed her lover.

Andy stared at her in shock, she hadn't been expecting that. "I've called Roy and he'll be here in a minute to take us to see her." she said.

~*~

"Andy, babe." Janet said as she opened her eye's and saw Andy sitting by her bed.

"Hey Mum." Andy replied.

"It's good to see you. How long have you been here?" Her mother asked.

"Not that long." Andy replied. "How are you feeling?"

"Alot better now that you're here." Janet replied.

Andy nodded her head and turned to look at the floor not knowing what else she should say. "I didn't bring you anything. I probably should've bought you some magazines or something to pass the time." Andy said, breaking the silence in the room.

Janet shook her head. "It doesn't matter. You're here and that's all that matters right now." Janet replied just as a nurse came into the room.

"Supper won't be long." she said but stopped when she saw Andy sitting by the bed and the older woman smiled. "Oh. You must be Andy! Your mother is always talking about you. Andy this, Andy that. I was beginning to think that you werent real." she said with a smile.

Andy looked at her mother before turning back to the Nurse and smiled politely before the other woman left. "Well now that you're awake and fine I'll let you get some more rest." Andy said as she stood from the chair she'd been sitting in.

"Oh, you'll come back though won't you?" Her mother asked her.

Andy nodded. "In a couple of days." she said.

"Alright." Janet said relieved. "I'll see you soon." and with that Andy left without another word.

Stepping outside the door and walking past the nurses station about to make her way to the waiting area where Miranda was waiting for her she was stopped by a doctor. "Sorry, are you Andrea Sachs?" The doctor asked her. She nodded and the woman continued. "I'm your mothers doctor, Catherine McIntosh, I was hoping that I would be able to have a word with you if you're in no hurry to leave." she said.

"Sure. What is it?" Andy asked as she turned to the other woman.

"Your mothers recovering better then we thought. But although she is making good progress it is going to take some time and patience before she is fully mobile again." Catherine said.

"Right. But she'll be able to walk normally again though soon?" Andy asked.

"I can't one hundred percent guarantee that but yes we are very confident." she said with a small smile. "But it's your mothers on going care that I wanted to talk to you about. In order for her fractured leg to recover she is going to have to be on strict bed rest." the doctor said. "We'd really like to send her home soon but she will need some basic daily care. Are you able to help out with that or is there anybody you know that could help out with something like that?" she asked.

"My sister lives in another state and well Mums pretty much blown off all the friends she ever had." Andy replied.

Sensing that the brunette had a strained relationship with her mother Catherine didn't ask whether Andy would be able to help out with Janet. "Is there anyway you could afford for hired help? We could have a nurse come around just for a couple of hours during the day." Catherine said.

"My Mum doesn't have much savings and I don't either so I wouldn't be able to get any hired help." Andy said with a sigh. "Her work insurance should be coming soon so shouldn't that cover it?" Andy asked.

"Usually it would but under the circumstances with your Mothers case…" she trailed off.

"Cause she had been drinking, right?" Andy asked and shook her head.

"She will get some compensation but I assume it will be substancially reduced." Catherine replied.

"Alright, just..." Andy sighed. "Leave it with me and I'll think of something and get back to you." she said and the doctor nodded before they turned and went in different directions.

~*~

"Andrea, you know that she can always stay here or I could hire help for her." Miranda said to her lover as they sat down in the sitting room.

Andy nodded her head. "I know that beautiful, it's just I can't ask you to do that. I won't." she replied.

"Well I doubt she'd make it down the stairs anyway." Miranda said.

Andy sighed knowing what she had to do."Why does it always have to come down to me?" Andy asked looking at her lover. "I mean, mum drinks, messes everything up and then I'm left to pick up the peices. It's the same old story. She falls over at the bar, I have to go and pick her up, she prangs the car, I have to go get it towed, she throws up and I have to clean it up. And now they want me to look after her full time. It's just not fair anymore, this whole situaton sucks." Andy said.

"You don't have to do this Andrea, we can figure something else out." Miranda said.

"I'm her daughter. I can't just leave her to fend for herself." Andy replied. "I know you might not agree with me on this but I'm going to have to go home with her to the Bronx until she's back on her feet." Andy said.

Miranda nodded. "I don't agree with what you're doing but if you want to help her I'm not going to tell you to do otherwise." Miranda replied.

"Thank you." Andy said as she grabbed her lovers hand and squeezed it. "Thank you for just being here and supporting me." she said.

~*~

Andy entered the hopsital room and looked at the bed. "Hey, you feeling better?" Andy asked.

"Yeah, I'm doing alright." Janet replied putting the book down she had been reading. "I'm feeling much better." she added.

"That's good. It's just about time to go home then." Andy said.

"Doctor McIntosh seems to think so, yes." Janet replied.

"She's worried though because she thinks you're going to need someone to look after you." Andy said looking at her mother.

"She's worried about nothing, I'll be fine." Janet replied.

"Well how about we get up and go for a walk then?" Andy asked.

Her mother laughed at that. "Maybe later." she replied with a small smile.

Andy nodded and the room fell silent. "You know you're going to have to sober up if you want recover properly." Andy said.

"I know." Her mother shook her head. "I'm done with all of that." she said.

"Good to know." Andy replied looking down at the floor not sure if she should believe what she heard or not. She had hope though. "Look I'm going to move back home with you until you are back on your feet." Andy said now looking up at her mother.

"I can't ask you to do that Andy. You have a life now with Miranda and the girls." Janet said.

"I offered." Andy said with a small smile.

~*~

Later That Afternoon.

Janet was discharged from the hospital and now Andy was opening the front door to her old childhood home. Stepping inside she looked at the mess in the living room. There were bottles and food boxes scattered around the place. The place was a dump.

Helping her mother walk through into the kitchen she sat Janet down at the dining room table. "I better get this place cleaned up." Andy said as she glanced around the kitchen, seeing the dirty dishes in the sink, liqour bottles on the bench.

Turning when she heard her mother groan in pain she saw her bending down to pick up a bottle. "Stop, I'll do that." Andy said as she walked over to the table bending down and picked up the still full bottle of liqour. "What? You think if you picked it up fast enough I wouldn't have noticed?" Andy asked looking up at her mother.

"I'm sorry Andy." Janet replied.

Andy walked over and grabbed a plastic bag out from a drawer. "Look, just get some rest." she replied as she began picking up some of the bottles that were on the bench.

Looking up her eye's landed on her old childhood bedroom door. 'You let him come into my room at night.' Thoughts of her confrontation with her mother a few weeks ago coming back to her. "Andy, are you okay?" her mother asked her.

Turning around she looked at the older brunette. "Yeah, I'm fine." she replied and began cleaning up again trying to push the thoughts out from her mind.

~*~

Picking up a can from the coffee table she turned and grabbed another from above the TV before she turned and was facing the closed door to her old bedroom. Dropping the plastic bag on the floor she stepped in front of the door, her hand falling onto the door knob. 'You knew. You always knew.' came into her mind before she turned the door knob and pushed the door open. 'He was a dirty old man.' Thoughts of her grandad invading her mind. Looking into her childhood room, she looked at the bed and around the room, thoughts that she had kept far back in her mind haunting her. "Andy. Andy are you there?" Her mothers voice asked breaking through her thoughts.

Andy turned around and walked into the kitchen. "Are you okay?" she asked.

"Yes, I'm fine but I need you to take a break. You've been cleaning all afternoon. Go and have some lunch and get some fresh air." Janet said.

Andy looked at her, not sure if she should leave her mother alone, not knowing what she might do. "Oh, come on Andy, I'm hardly in a fit state to go down to the liqour store now am I?" she asked. "Look babe, I've had a bad run, I know that, but ending up in hopsital made me see some sense. We're going to be okay now." Janet said.

Andy slowly nodded her head. "Now go on, go out and have some fun." Janet said.

"Alright, I'll be back in an hour or so then." Andy replied and gave her mother one last glance before she turned around and left the house.

Watching Andy walk down the drive way from the kitchen she then stood up and made her way over to the sink and bent slightly down opening the cupboard underneath the sink and grabbed out a bottle of liqour she had put under there when Andy was in the other room. Opening the bottle she held it over the sink with a shaky hand and when she couldnt bring herself to pour it down the sink she placed it next to her and stared at the bottle.

~*~

Emily walked up the drive way towards the front door of Andrea's childhood home. Stopping she looked through the window when she saw Andrea's mother sit down on a couch and placed a bottle of liquor in front of her.

Walking up to the front door she knocked before opening it and letting herself in and saw Janet quickly shove the bottle next to her, hidden from her view.

"Hi." Emily said awkwardly as she stood just inside the room. "Uh, Miranda had me go out and grab some grocery's for you." She said as she held up the bags she was holding.

"She didn't have to do that." Janet replied and she looked at the bags. "Just put them in the kitchen. I'll put them away in a bit." Janet replied.

Nodding Emily walked through into the kitchen and placed the grocery bags on the bench before walking back out into the other room. "Well, I should be going." she said as she looked at Andrea's mother.

"Tell Miranda thank you for the groceries but that I won't need her to do it again for me. I'm more then capable to do it myself." she replied.

"Okay, I'll let her know. Have a nice evening." Emily said before turning and leaving.

~*~

Walking over to her desk she put her hand bag down before she walked into Miranda's office. She saw Andy sitting on the couch in the room whilst Miranda was going over some photos from the photo shoot from earlier that day. "Miranda." Emily said making herself known to the editor. "I delivered the groceries for you. But she said she doesn't want you to have me buy anymore again as she can do it herself" she said and at this Andy shook her head. "Typical" she muttered.

Miranda nodded her head. "Fine. Get Nigel for me, these photos are god awful." Miranda said and looked up when Emily hadn't left her office. "Was there something else?" Miranda asked.

Emily hesitated a moment before nodding and turning to look at Andy. "Um.." she said awkwardly before she stepped closer to the brunette. "Not sure if it's my place to say anything but as I know that your mother is a recovering drinker you should know that when I stopped by she had a bottle of liquor in front of her and when I stepped inside the room she hid it next to her so I wouldn't see it but, well, I did, obviously or else I wouldn't be telling you now." Emily said and then looked down at the floor. Emily and Andy had never been that close but she had overheard that her mother had a drinking problem and hoped she hadn't crossed some invisible line between her and Andy by telling her that she saw her mother with a bottle of liquor.

Andy, already feeling anger rising up in side of her, stood and pulled on her leather jacket furiously. "I knew this was going to fucking happen!" she said not caring that she was using foul language. "I really do not need to have to deal with this again." Andy muttered.

Miranda stood from her desk. "I'll have Roy drive you over there-" she stopped when Andy shook her head. "No, I'll take the subway, I need to take some time to think of what to do before I get there." She said.

She laid a hand on Andy's shoulder. "Just be careful." the older woman softly said.

~*~

Andy pushed open the front door and walked down into the kitchen where Janet was currently making some coffee. "Hey babe. Feel like a coffee?" Her mother asked.

"Where is it?" she demanded as she walked into the kitchen and began opening and closing cupboards trying to find more bottles of alcohol.

"Where's what?" Janet asked confused.

"The booze you're hiding!" Andy replied, slamming a cupboard door shut before turning to look at her mother.

"What are you talking about?" Janet asked not expecting this from Andy.

"You really must think i'm fucking stupid!" Andy yelled. "I know you've been drinking. Emily saw you with a bottle!" Andy continued, bending down to look in the bottom cupboards. "So stop lying and tell me where you're hiding the bottles?" she then asked.

"I'm not hiding anything. Emily's got it all wrong. Just sit down and have a coffee." Janet replied and followed Andy who went down the hall and into the living area.

The young brunette began pulling things off the shelves before she found a empty vodka bottle and held it up in front of her mother.

"Well that's an old one I'll get rid of it." Janet lied when she saw the bottle, holding out her hand to get it put it in the trash.

"Where's the rest?" Andy asked furious with herself for believing that her mother would stop drinking, truth is she knew now that her mother would never change.

"There arent any." Janet replied.

"Stop lying!" Andy yelled, turning around, she leaned behind the stereo player sitting on the cabinet, reaching behind it and she felt a bottle and pulled it out seeing it was full.

"Would you just calm down?" Janet asked before she stared at the bottle in Andy's hand.

"You're a joke!" Andy said with a shake of her head.

"It was just a couple of drinks." Janet said to her.

Andy had to laugh at that as she walked down into the kitchen. "How dumb do you think I am, huh?" she yelled, unscrewing the lid of the bottle and then poured the drink into the sink.

"Look, I was in a lot of pain. The drugs the doctors gave me haven't been working." Janet tried.

Andy slammed the now empty vodka bottle down onto the bench. "Every word that comes out of your mouth proves how much of a lying and pathetic drunk you are!" she said before she moved passed the older brunette and headed for her old bedroom.

"Andrea, I'm sorry." Janet yelled out to her.

Andy slammed the door behind her and collapsed on the bed, her head falling into her hands and sobbed.

Controlling herself she got up from the bed, grabbed her bag and walked out of the room.

"Andy. No more booze, I promise." Janet said when she saw Andy come out from her room.

"Where are you going?" she asked when she saw her daughter had her bag with her.

"I'm going back to the Townhouse. There's no way I'm staying here." Andy replied.

"Andy baby you can't leave me. I'm so sorry. I just fucked up. It won't happen again." Janet pleaded for Andy to stay, tears filling her eyes.

"Hurts does it? What do you expect?" she asked. "You're sick and you still drink. You clearly don't want to get better." Andy said.

"That's don't true babe. I do." Janet replied. "I just want us to be a family again." she added.

"A family?!" Andy asked turning to look at the older brunette and couldn't help but laugh. "What a fucking joke! When were you ever there for me Mum huh?" Andy asked.

"Well when you were playing soccer I went to every game. I took you to all of your training sessions." Janet replied.

"Are you kidding?" Andy asked. "You're talking about soccer! What about here at home when I needed you?" Andy yelled. "Where were you when Grandad..." she trailed off, not being able to say the next few words. Turning to look out the window tears welled up in her eyes as she covered her mouth with her hand. "You should have stopped him! But you were a drunk then just like you're a drunk now!" she said and swung her backpack onto her shoulder. "I never want anything to do with you again! Ever." Andy said firmly before she walked to the front door, opened it, and left, leaving her mother in tears.

~*~

Coming to a stop out in front of Miranda's she looked up at the Townhouse. This was her life now. Her walk back from the Bronx had given her time to think and she meant what she said, she never wanted to see her mother again because all she ever did was cause her pain.

Pulling out her phone from her pocket she slid it open and bought up her address book and scrolled down to her mothers number and clicked on it. She stared at it for a couple of minutes before she deleted it.

"Andy." Emily said when she saw Andy in front of the townhouse.

"Oh Em, hey." Andy said to the English woman who came to stand next to her. She looked down at The Book. "Is it that time already?" she asked more to herself then Emily.

Emily nodded. "Did you get to talk to your Mum?" she asked.

"Yup. It's fine." Andy replied.

"Really? So she's going to get help then?" Emily asked.

Andy turned to look at Emily to have a go at her for not minding her own buisness but stopped herself. "I'm sorry but I really don't have the time to stand out here and chat." she said.

"Oh, okay." Emily replied with a nod of the head. "Well here." Emily said handing The Book to Andy. "Miranda was in a foul mood after she saw Irv so I'd much rather not see her again today." Emily explained.

Andy took The Book from Emily. "I'll make sure she gets it. Have a nice night." she said.

"You too." Emily replied with a small smile before turning and getting into the towncar that was waiting to take her home.

Andy walked up to the door of the townhouse, slipped her key in the slot, and pushed it open. Stepping inside she kicked off her shoes, placed The Book on the hallway table for Miranda to go over later and then walked up the stairs into the master bedroom where she found Miranda in the bathroom soaking in the bath.

"Hey beautiful." Andy said softly to her lover, a smile on her face.

Miranda opened her eye's. "Hello darling." The older woman replied and watched as her lover began undressing before she joined her in the bath. "How did things go with your Mother?" she asked as Andy settled between her legs resting her head on Miranda's chest.

"I confronted her about her drinking, we got into a massive fight and then I left telling her I want nothing more to do with her anymore." Andy replied, closing her eye's.

Miranda held her lover. "Is she going to get help?" she asked.

Andy shrugged. "God knows what she's going to do." Andy replied and continued. "Right now I don't really care." she sighed. "I just want to be able to escape from here, go somewhere quiet and stay there for a while, everythings just been so crazy here lately." the brunette said.

"Some time away from the City sounds like a lovely idea. I'll see what I can do." Miranda replied, an idea already forming in her head.

Andy smiled. "Thank you." she whispered. "I don't know how I could have got through any of this without you." she said and turned around to look Miranda in the eyes. "I love you Miranda Priestly." Andy whispered.

"And I love you Andrea Sachs." Miranda whispered back.

Andy smiled before she captured Miranda's lips with her own in a passionate kiss knowing that if they could get through everything that has happened in the past couple of months that together they can get through anything.

~*~

Fin.